Fr T.J. Linane, From Abel to Zundolovich, Vol. 2: Biographies of Priests on the Australian Scene up to 1900, 1980, pp 87-88:

Cornes, John Allen, English
An Apostle in Communication and Works of Charity
John Allen was born in Woolwich, England, of Welsh stock, in 1864 (circa). A deeply religious youth who often played at setting up altars and shrines ... yet he hadn't been baptised or instructed as a Catholic. Strangely as a mere youth he came to Adelaide to visit the Governor of the time, Sir William Jervois. He made two decisions, the first to make his home in Adelaide, and later on to receive instructions in the Faith to which he became attracted. In due course he was received into the Church by Father Patrick Enright, well-known for his friendliness with non-Catholics, later Archdeacon at Manoora and who died in a tragic buggy accident in 1924. A David-Jonathan relationship was destined to endure. John Allen was a postal employee at the G.P.O. Adelaide, and continued on, explaining and arguing the Faith with all comers who wished to listen. But the fearless and apostolic layman had a higher ambition, and accordingly resigned from post office duties in 1885. He studied at Sevenhill for a year and then went to Propaganda College, Rome; influenced, no doubt, in the decision by Enright, himself a Roman student. After completing a four year theology course, the convert and former 'postie' was ordained by Cardinal Parocchi in St. John Lateran on 1 November 1890. Fr. T.J. Cosgrove, another Adelaide student, was ordained the same day, and after a postgraduate course both came to the diocese of their choosing in late 1891. Scholarly, friendly with all, a communications man and strong believer in the value of the Catholic press — such are the inferences to be taken from the Southern Cross report about his life and death. Archbishop Reynolds expressed his warm admiration: "Father Cornes was a very straightforward, honest, manly and generous man, and very free in dispensing charity unostentatiously. His death means a severe loss to the diocese". And presumably the free charity explains why the memorial over his remains in West Terrace cemetery came to be erected by the Clothing Guild! Albeit, Cornes showed what a priest should be — friendly, generous, zealous, uncompromising on principles — in his 14 years of service. This was spent at the Cathedral, West Terrace, then at Goodwood as assistant to Fr. Aristide Gandolfi, at Port Adelaide as assistant to Fr. Williams. As Cathedral Administrator, in succession to Archdeacon Russell, he spent some four years, and was then given charge of the mission at Glenelg-Marion. Service at this post turned out to be very short, a few years — and in the interim angina pectoris developed. His death on 7 September 1904 was tragic and necessitated the holding of an inquest. He was thought to have drowned on the beach at Glenelg, but the Coroner, Dr. Ramsay Smith, ruled out this possibility. "The cause of death was heart disease, probably rendered more acute by a recent severe attack of influenza". The Southern Cross report adds: "It seems probable that Father Cornes was following the advice of Dr. O'Leary, and taking an airing on the beach. The removal of his hat and coat, which were afterwards found among the sandhills, was probably due to a feeling of suffocation when the heart attack came on ..." The requiem and funeral were certainly a testimony that Adelaide people loved and revered their charitable priest.
(Footprints, Vol. 2, No. 11)
Ref.: Adelaide Church Archives.