Although he was born in London, he moved with his parents to Australia at a young age and grew up mostly in Melbourne. Although Cocking and Miyata Riki did not have any children of their own, they adopted Miyata Riki"s niece after her mother died at a young age.
In Japan he is known for the large greenhouse (660 m2 (7,100 sq ft)) and gardens that he developed in Enoshima that bears his name. His company, “Cocking & Company” specialized in trading Japanese curios, art and antiques as well as importing chemicals, drugs, scientific and laboratory apparatus. He imported carbolic acid (phenol) which was used as a disinfectant, particularly against cholera.
lieutenant is noted during one cholera outbreak he distributed his stock of carbolic acid free of charge.
He exported peppermint oil - refined from peppermint grown in Yamagata prefecture. He is credited for introducing soap, bicycles, the electric lightbulb to Japan.
He was also heavily involved in the fledgling photographic industry in Japan, importing photographic materials and chemicals and organizing the first photographic society in Japan. He also helped the foundation of Konishi Honten, a photographic store that would become Konica.
Destroy Sakyamuni" policy Haibutsu kishaku (廃仏毀釈) of the new Meiji government had made the land available.
One famous incident involved Cocking being offered the Kamakura Daibutsu for "a song". He refused to buy the Daibutsu - no doubt feeling it had too much cultural importance to Japan and should remain in the country. In 1887, he added a power plant (which later became origin of the Yokohama Cooperative Electric Light Company).
His garden is now operated by the city as the Samuel Cocking Garden renamed after remains of Cocking"s greenhouse was rediscovered during renovation work on the lighthouse and gardens.
