The Coopers of Streatham and Beyond
(Part 2)

The Second Generation

Henry and Henrietta's children

Maryanne Cooper(b 1815)

The only record found so far is the Christening at Tooting Graveney (not far from Streatham) on 6 August 1815.

William Henry Cooper( b 1817)

Henry /Henrietta's eldest son.
He was born on 23 March 1817 and the christening record shown in the International Genealogical Index(IGI) shows William Henry Cooper - 20 Apr 1817 Saint Leonards, Streatham, Surrey. On 10 May 1851 he married Eliza Lane at the Clapham Parish Church. The record shows - he was of "Full Age", a Bachelor, occupation Gardener and father was Henry Cooper - a Butler. The Marriage Cert shows Eliza is of "Full Age", Spinster, living in Clapham, her father - Joseph Lane - a Coachman. Witnesses were Charles and Jane Lane (Her brother and Sister-in-Law?). It is possible that the Lanes are related to John Lane, shown in Pigot's Directory for 1822-3 who ran a Carrier business - travelling to London every day (except Sunday) at 9am.

Charles Cooper(b 1819)

Charles Cooper - Christened on 4 Apr 1819 at Saint Leonards, Streatham, Surrey. Charles married Sarah Spratley on 10 October 1841 at Mitcham Church, Mitcham, Surrey. The Marriage Cert shows that they were both of "Full Age". Charles is shown as a Bachelor and a gardener and his father, Henry as a Butler. They were resident in Mitcham at the time of the wedding.
The witnesses were William Cooper(either Charles'uncle or his older brother William Henry) and Harriet Stevens.
No other record has been sighted of Sarah, apart from her Marriage Cert. In this she is shown as being a spinster, "of full age", her father as John Spratley - a Labourer.

Edward Cooper (b 1821)

Edward Cooper was christened on 15 Jul 1821 at Saint Leonards, Streatham, Surrey. In 1841 Edward married Sarah Sandaver (born in 1816)at the Parish Church, Wandsworth on 12 September 1841.

Sarah Sandaver

IGI shows Sarah Sandaver as being christened at St John the Baptist, Croydon on 30 June 1816.
1841 Census shows:
Sarah Sandaver, Age 20 - shown as a Dressmaker, at parents home Mitcham Lane, born in Surrey.
Her parents :
Robert Sandaver, age 55, Gardener, not born in Surrey
Frances Sandaver, age 45, not born in Surrey
Her brothers and Sisters:
James Sandaver, age 15, Shoe Maker, born in Surrey
Emma , age 12, Richard, 8, George, 6, William, 4 all born in Surrey.
In some records the surname is spelt - SANDOVER but in most it is shown as SANDAVER. Edward and Sarah had two children
Frank Edward Cooper, born in Mitcham Lane, Streatham on 20 November 1842 Harry Fawcett(Faucit ?) Cooper, born in Mitcham Lane, Streatham on 2 September 1844. It is assumed that Sarah died.

Edward's 2nd Marriage

Edward married a second time to Maria Anne Bentham at Church of All Souls, Croydon on 26 June 1853.

Maria Anne Bentham

Maria Anne's father, William Bentham, married Sarah Bray on 21 March 1813 at St Dunstan in the West, London.
Sarah Bray is shown in the 1851 Census
Sarah Bentham - West Side Croydon Road, Streatham Lodger, Widow aged 64, Monthly Nurse, born Finsbury, Middlesex.
Maria Bentham, Daughter, Unmarried, age 25, Sempstress, Dressmaker, bn Walworth, Surrey
Eliza McCann, Granddaughter, Unmarried, age 8, Scholar, Old Kent Road, Surrey
In Edward and Maria Anne's Marriage Certificate Maria is shown as a Spinster with her father, William Bentham, a Tanner. The witnesses to the marriage were Edward's brother and his wife - Charles and Sarah Cooper. Maria was born in Walworth, Surrey.

Edward Cooper's age and Death

1841 Census: Hambly Court, Streatham, age 15. (ages were shown to the nearest 5 years in this census)
Living with him are his mother (as head of house) and his brother, Charles, age 20.
1851 Census: Mitcham Road, Streatham, age 29, Widow, Head of House, Gardener.
Living with him are Henrietta, his mother (a nurse) and his two sons - Frank, age8 and Harry, age 6.
1881 Census: 1 Malvern Terrace, Wells Lane, Streatham, age 63, Head of House, Gardener.
Living with hims are Maria A, his wife, age 55, Painter, Walter, 19, Willie B, 16, Plumbers Labourer, and Alfred, 14, Labourer - his sons.
1899 A death record shows that he died on 28 February 1899, of Bronchitis, at Union Infirmary, Battersea. At the time of death he was living at 108 Wellfield Road, Streatham. His age at death is given as 82.
Supposed to have lived for 100 years. This was a family legend as William Ernest and Margaret Annie Cooper both reported meeting an old man with long beard who was a GreatGrandfather and was 100 years old around the early 1920s.
AGES:
March 1841 Census = 15, Actual = 19
March 1851 Census = 29, Actual = 29
March 1881 Census = 63, actual = 59
Feb 1899 Death Rec = 82, actual = 77.

1901 Census - He cannot be found.

The BRAY name mystery

The reason for three generations of a part of the Cooper family using the name Bray as a second Christian name remained a puzzle but this has now been resolved. Willie Bray Cooper (Snr) acquired his middle name after his mother's mother. There is still some conjecture about some part of the family originating in Scotland and some part in Ireland. In the 1851 Census Sarah Bray shows her birth place as Finsbury, London but it is possible that her family may have come from Ireland. William Bentham's birth place is still unknown. A short Family Tree which shows the link between Sarah Bray and the Cooper family is displayed below. Bray Family Tree

Lucy Cooper(b 1823)

The IGI record shows her christening on 7 September 1823 at St Leonard's Church, Streatham, Surrey. Lucy married Samuel Sandaver(b 1812?) thought to be the brother of Edward Cooper's first wife (Sarah Sandaver). They were married on 23 February 1841 at the Mitcham Parish Church. In the Marriage Certificate it shows both of them as "full age" although records show Lucy being born in 1823. Samuel was a Shoemaker, bachelor and Lucy a Spinster. Samuel's father is shown as a Gardener. One of the witnesses was Mary Sandaver ( an unknown relation) They had four children - Robert(1844), Ellen(1846), Kate(1848), William(1850) Samuel with his wife and family appear in the 1851 Census - they were living in Mitcham Road, Streatham. Samuel's birthplace is shown as Brighton, Sussex and his occupation as a Cordwainer (type of shoemaker).

Status of the Family Members

As will be seen from the details, shown in the previous pages, of Henry's children - they all stayed in the Streatham area and were all servants (gardeners were outdoor servants). This area was still very much given over to the large estates and country houses for the wealthy Lodoner business families and members of the family had not as yet ventured away from the area where they were born.

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The Coopers of Streatham and Beyond (Part 2)