Semiorganic material of bis-glycine cobalt sulphate pentahydrate (BGCS) was synthesized and single crystals of BGCS were grown by slow evaporation technique at room temperature. Three dimensional crystal structure of BGCS crystal elucidated by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that the crystal belongs to triclinic system with centrosymmetric P-1 space group. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectral analysis was carried out and the presence of various functional groups of BGCS were identified. UV–Vis–NIR spectral analysis of BGCS crystal shows that the crystal is transparent between the wavelengths 200 and 1100 nm. Vickers microhardness study of the BGCS was carried out. Dielectric constant and dielectric loss of BGCS crystal were measured in the frequency range of 50 Hz–2 MHz at room temperature. Thermogravimetric, differential thermal analysis and differential scanning calorimetric studies carried out for the BGCS single crystal revealed that the grown crystal is stable up to 214 °C. Thermodynamic parameter showed that the decomposition reaction of BGCS is non-spontaneous. Etching study was carried out on the surface of the crystal using double distilled water as etchant. Increase in the etching time from 10 to 15 s developed staircase shaped etch pattern. The thermal parameter of BGCS was calculated from photoacoustic spectroscopy. Antibacterial activity was carried out in-vitro against gram negative i.e. Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi; gram positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus. © 2018 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.