The Coopers of Streatham and Beyond
(Part 4)

The Fourth Generation

Harry Fawcett Cooper's Children

All three children are shown in the 1881 Census, living with their parents at Cottage 5, Hawkhurst, Kent. Benjamin and Harry were both born in Streatham and Bertha in Hawkhurst.

Benjamin Cooper(b 1873)

Harry Fossett Cooper(b 1874)

Bertha Cooper(b 1876)

Ernest Charles Cooper's Children

William Ernest Cooper (b1879)

The first child - born on 16 March 1879(as per Birth Cert), he is shown in the 1881 Census as a child aged 2, born at Ellison Rd, Streatham, London - but in 1881 living in Croydon Road, Streatham.

Alfred Bray Cooper (1891 - 1952)

Ernest Charles Cooper's second child - born on 19 May 1891 at 27 Colmer Road Streatham (as per Birth Cert), he was found when the burial of his uncle Willie Bray Cooper (Snr) was investigated - he is interred in the same plot as his mother and his uncle, in Isleworth Cemetery, London. He died on 18 December 1952.

Annie Maria's Children

Alice A Oldman(b 1876)

Arthur W Oldman(b 1877)

Lillian M Oldman(b 1881)

Alfred E Oldman(b 1883)

Florence B Oldman (b 1885)

Edith Oldman(b 1888)

Rosaline Oldman(b 1891)

Herbert William Cooper's Children

The two elder children are shown in the 1881 Census, living with their parents at 1 Valley Road, Streatham. Both children were born in Streatham.

Sarah A Cooper(b 1879)

She married: Ernest Walter Percy born 1876 in Salisbury, in Wandsworth 1899.They had one child - Frederick Douglas born 25 June 1901.

Rosetta Cooper(b 1880)

Married in 1905. Name of husband not yet confirmed but could be either Herbert John Ewins or George Longdon.

William Charles E Cooper(b 1888)

Born in Streatham. Married Elizabeth A Taylor in Romford in 1912.

Walter Cooper's Children

Alice Elizabeth Cooper(b 1882)

Born on 10 March1882 at 4 Parry Terrace, Colmer Road, Streatham, Surrey. Walter and Elizabeth's eldest child, she is understood to have remained single - with no issue. Lived to the age of 84.

Walter Cooper(b 1883)

Walter and Elizabeth's eldest son, he was born circa 1883 in Streatham, Surrey. He married Frances Martha Nicholson in July 1905 in Ireland. He was a soldier and served in many of the British Army stations abroad for over 20 years. Stationed at Aldershot - but moved about quite a bit. He served Overseas. Served in the Royal Ordinance Corps in the First World War. They had one daughter, born in 1906 - Frances Martha Cooper who died in 2007, aged 101. She received her birthday card from the Queen the year before..

Martha May Cooper(b 1885)

Born in September 1885 and died in June 1886. Cause of death unknown.

Alfred William Cooper(b 1887)

It is understood that he was married but his wife's name unknown at present and the marriage record not yet found. He died in the First World War - he left a wife and child. He served in the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Scots Regiment and fought at Mons.

His death, on Thursday 15 October 1914, is recorded on Le Touret memorial, Pas de Calais, France.(Ref Commonwealth War Graves Commission)

Albert Cooper(b 1891)

Born circa 1891 in Anerley, Surrey. He joined the Royal Scots Regiment in World War I with his brothers, Alfred William and Sidney, but unlike them he managed to survive. He married Mary Agnes Sharp (born 1905) and they had a son, Malcolm Cooper, who was born on 29 July 1947.

Daisy Cooper(b 1894)

Daisy married William Walter Walker in 1914.

They had a son in October 1914, William Walter Robert Walker in Isleworth.

Daisy's husband enlisted in the Army on 13 April 1915 - Regimental number 19432 in The Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry - at Hounslow, age 23. His height was 5ft 3in. On 25 May 1915 he was discharged from the Army - Valvular disease of the heart at the Military Hospital, Falmouth.
His second son Sidney was born in 1917. He rejoined the Army at Norwood and served with 11th Battalion of The Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment). Regimental number 53198. He died on 18 September 1918 at Flanders.
The record showing his death also says "Formerly S4/128079, RASC. MM" What does this mean ? Had he previously served in the Royal Army Services Corps. Was he awarded the Military Medal ?

After the war (1919) Daisy married William Herbert Dempster and had eight children - Bertie W (1920), Marguerite E A (1923), Phyllis J (1925), Edward (1926), Constance W(1928), Daisy (1930), Julia F (1934) and Patricia (1938). All of the children's births were registered in the Brentford (Northern London) area.

They lived at 4 Plane St, Sydenham and then at 113 Worple Road, Isleworth.

William Cooper(b 1895)

Born circa 1895 in Sydenham, Kent. Nothing further known at present.

Sidney Cooper(b 1897)

Born circa 1897 in Sydenham, Kent. Sidney served in the 2nd Battalion Royal Scots Regiment in the First World War. Killed in the First World War.

Commonwealth War Graves Commission - Details of his memorial: Ypres(Menin Gate) Memorial IEPER, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium Died on Monday, 14 December 1914. He could only have been 17 years old.

Annie Maria Cooper(b 1898)

Born on 1 May 1898, at 11 Rosamond St, Wells Rd, Sydenham, to Walter and Elizabeth Mary Cooper(nee Parmenter). She was the eighth of twelve children. It is said that she was a twin with the other child being still-born.

Annie Maria married Willie Bray Cooper (b 1893) in 1920.

Willie Bray Cooper (b 1893)

Born on 2 June 1893 at 70 Colmer Road, Streatham, to Willie Bray Cooper(Snr) and Annie Berry. The family moved from Colmer Road when he was young and his parents ran a Laundry in Star Lane in Isleworth. At the age of 17 he joined the British Army and became a Gunner in the Royal Horse Artillery. Army records show: Regimental No: 63136. He enlisted at London on 31 October 1910 He gave two addresses when he enlisted, presumably because his parents had separated. His father was at 42 Marsh Rd, Isleworth, Middlesex and his mother at 8 Wentworth Rd Croydon, Surrey. His occupation on enlistment was given as a "Beer Bottler". His physical attributes were shown as - Height 5 ft 8, Complexion fresh, eyes grey, hair brown. On 1 December 1910 he obtained his Third Classs Certificate of Education at the Artillery Depot at Woolwich. At about this time his father would have been admitted to hospital where he died 12 November 1911. In 1913 he was posted to India.

He travelled out there on the Troopship "HT Dongola" and as the " The Dongola Gazette" newsletter shows it reached Aden on its way to India at 1am on 6 December 1913 and travelled across the Indian Ocean. On 5 November 1914 he obtained his Second Class Cert of Education. He served for several years at Peshawar (as did his uncle Alfred before him) with 'M' Battery where he was a Pay Clerk and then a Supervisor in Military Accounts. He was awarded the British War Medal. He terminated his Active Service with the Army on 2 January 1920. He was still attached to the Army until October 1922 because he served a further two years in the Reserve. His Discharge papers show a character reference for future employment. It shows "has been honest, sober and intelligent. Recommended for any position of trust - Exemplary". 1919 - Willie Bray became a Prison Officer and started at Feltham Borstal Institution The following is a drawing of Feltham Borstal Institution: 1920 - He married Annie Maria Cooper 1921 - 1936 Nine children born to them: Margaret Annie(1921), William Ernest(1922), Sheila Dorothy(1924), Cyril Bray(1925), Doreen Gertrude(1927), John David(1929), Edwin Arthur(1932), Elizabeth Mary(1934), Albert Edward(1936)

The photo was taken of the whole family in April/May 1936. It includes Annie Maria's sister Dorothy Frances and her son Peter. 1938 - Annie Maria, died of pneumonia - 29 April 1938. Shortly after his wife's death Willie Bray was transferred from Feltham to a Borstall Institution at CampHill in the Isle of Wight. Only a part of the family moved with him as some had employment, others were cared for in Motherless Homes, one started at the Duke of York's Royal Military School (a boarding school) and the youngest (Albert) was adopted by the Bow family - friends of the Willie Bray family. 1943 - Married Annie Cox(Nancy) - 1950 - In preparation for retirement Willie Bray purchased and moved into a house in Gordon Road, Cowes, Isle of Wight. 1973 - Died of Heart Attack at home on 12 January 1976 - aged 83.

Jessica Cooper(b 1900)

Born in 1900 at 11 Rosamond St, Wells Rd, Sydenham, she married George Edward Ruxton in 1923, the marriage being registered in the Lewisham area. They had two children - Joyce E (1925) and Barbara E.

Louisa Cooper(b 1903)

Born in 1903, at Wells Road, Sydenham, she married Claude Reginald Wright in 1925 and had one child - a son - Sydney in 1926, who died at the age of nine with a ruptured Appendix.

The two sisters, Louisa and Hilda married the two brothers, Claude and Stanley Wright.

Hilda Gertrude Cooper(b 1905)

Born on 26 May 1905 at 3 Mill Lane Sydenham. Married Stanley John Wright in 1924. They had 2 sons - the eldest, Stanley who was a mid-upper gunner in Lancaster bombers in the "Pathfinder Squadron" and was shot down and killed over Essen at the last Christmas of the war (December 1944). Their youngest son, Kenneth, born in 1929, had 4 children - lives in Calgary, Canada.

Dorothy Frances Cooper(b 1906)

Born in Lewisham in 1906, she married Wilfred George Willers on 13 December 1934 in Peckham and had three children - Peter, Pamela K (1938) and Patrick G (1944). She was 14 years old when her mother, Elizabeth Mary Parmenter (Cooper) died. She married a second time ? - Details not known at present. She lived in a cottage in Thorpes Abbott. She died in 1958 at the age of 52 ?. The photo shows Dorothy Frances (Aunt Dot) c 1930 - with her nieces and nephews of the Willie Bray family.She did outdoor catering (Lyons Catering Supervisor)

Willie Bray Cooper Snr's Children

Willie Bray Cooper(b 1893)

Married Annie Maria Cooper(1898) in 1920. Refer to the details shown previously under Walter Cooper's Descendants.

Ernest Edward Cooper(b 1896)

Born on 12 November 1896 at 30 Ferrers Road, Streatham - the second child of Willie Bray Cooper Snr. He and his sister, Ellen, appear to have been named after the witnesses to his parents marriage - Willie Bray Snr's eldest brother and sister-in-law (Ernest Charles and Ellen Cooper). Details shown on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission web site : Ernest Cooper - Private 7007 - 1st Bn., East Surrey Regiment who died on Tuesday, 8th May 1917. Commemorative Information Memorial: ARRAS MEMORIAL, Pas de Calais, France Grave Reference/ Panel Number: Bay 6 Location: The Arras Memorial is in the Faubourg-d'Amiens Cemetery, which is in the Boulevard du General de Gaulle in the western part of the town of Arras. The cemetery is near the Citadel, approximately 2 kilometres due west of the railway station. The Memorial commemorates almost 35,000 casualties of the British, New Zealand and South African Forces who died between Spring 1916 and 7th August 1918, with the exception of casualties of the Battle of Cambrai in 1917, and who have no known grave.

Ellen Agnes Cooper(b 1899)

The youngest child of Willie Bray Snr and Annie Cooper (nee Berry). She was born on 27 February 1899 - Born at 30 Ferrers Rd Streatham - Fathers occupation - Plumber Journeyman. She married Frederick W Archer in 1935 at Polegate, East Sussex. They had four children - Robin William Edward (1935), Wendy Elizabeth Ellen(1937), Shirley Anne (1939) and Brian Frederick (1941). The following photos show first - Ellen on Brighton Beach - the right hand of the two - with the Bathing Machines in the background. The photo would have been taken in the late 1920s or early 1930s ? The family settled in and around the Polegate area. This photograph shows Ellen Agnes with her family at a later date.

Alfred Cooper's Children

George Alfred Cooper(1892 - 1893)

Alfred Cooper's first child, George Alfred Cooper was born in the Army barracks in Alexandria, Egypt (which were at the palace of the Khedive)on 9 October 1892 whilst his father was serving with the British Army, but in his first year of life he died after the family had moved to Rawalpindi, India.

Marion Cooper(1894 - 1990)

Marion Cooper was born on 6 May 1894, at Glianial, Murree Hills, India. Marion was educated at Exeter and Streatham. A highlight was when she was "Rose Queen" and Milred was her chief attendant. Marion emigrated to New zealand with her father in 1912 and her mother and the rest of the family followed, arriving inh Wellington 5-6 October and in Auckland on 7 October 1914, which was Louisa's 16th birthday. Marion met and married Patrick Smyth, at St Albans Church, Auckland on 5 February 1916. Patrick had been born at Pungaere, Kerikeri, Bay of Islands, New Zealand, on 21 October 1893, the ninth child of Patrick Francis Smyth, a farmer, and Katerina Te Wheoki, a New Zealand Maori. Patrick became Headmaster of St Stephens Boys' Maori School at Bombay, Auckland. Marion and Patrick had six children - Patrick Bentham, Joan Marion Alfredina, Bronson Geoffrey, Brian and Patricia Aloha. The last of the six was still-born in 1935 - everyone was upset over it. Aunty Millie(Milred) had given Marion the pram she had used for Anthony Gordon Hirst. Patrick became the Headmaster of St Stephen's Boys Maori Boarding School at Bombay, just south of Auckland. He died in April 1954 at the age of 61. When Marion went to apply for the Widow's Pension she was told by a youngster that she would be getting the Old-Age Pension. She said she felt as though she had been hit in the face with a cold dead fish. All of her children put in a few shillings per week into paying off the mortgage on her house at Settlement Road, Papakura. M arion continued on to the grand old age of 95 and died in Settlement Road, Papakura on 20 February 1990. She was nursed at home for a considerable number of years by her daughter, Joan. In her Will, her daughter, Joan was given a life tenancy in recognition of all of the time that Joan had spent looking after her.

Eva Cooper( 1895 - 1895)

Eva was born on 27 June 1895 and died on 16 August 1895 at the Charat Hills, India.

Milred Cooper( 1896 - ?)

Milred was born on 11 October 1896. She married William Hirst. They had four children: Robert William Alfred , Joyce Mildred Louisa, David Cooper(1931) and Anthony Gordon(1934). After William Hirst's death, Milly raised the two younger boys with the help of Robert and Joy(Joyce - who was awarded a QSM in 1993).

Louisa Sophie Cooper(1898 - 1976)

Born in Exeter on 7 October 1898 to Alfred Cooper and Louisa Harriet Parmenter. Accomplished needlewoman and knitter. There was a period between when her father, Alfred Cooper was discharged from the British Army and when they emigrated to New Zealand when Louisa Sophie attended school at Streatham. She received the King's Medal(silver) from the London County Council 1910/1911 for punctual attendance and the Kings Medal(Gold) for attendance, conduct and industry 1911/1912. Also gold and silver pendant from Streatham National Schools for perfect attendance 1911/1912. Louisa Sophie travelled to New Zealand with her mother in 1914. She married William Arthur Fletcher(1896 - 1954) on 10 January 1921 at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Auckland. William Arthur was born on 13 March 1896 in Sydney, Australia. He died on 13 February 1954. Louisa Sophie died on 30 July 1976 They had six children: Joyce(1922 - 1922), William Arthur (1923 - 1977), Bruce (1924 - 1985), Constance Miriam (1928 - 1955), Evelyn Patricia (1932 - 1932), Judith Anne(1940).

Lucy Cooper(1901 - 1969)

Born in Exeter, Devon, on 23 July 1901to Alfred Cooper and Louisa Harriet Parmenter, Lucy married Edward Hirst(1898 - 1969) on 17 January 1922 at the Holy Spulchre Church, Auckland. Edward was born on 18 December 1898 at drury, Auckland. He was an A Grade Steam and Locomotive Engine Driver. They had one child - Lucy Louisa Ruth, born 13 December 1928 in Auckland and died 28 July 1999. Lucy died on 12 February 1969 in Whakatane and was cremated in Rotorua. Edward died on 13 June 1969 at Taupo and was cremated at Rotorua.

Alfred Edward Cooper(1903 - ?)

Alfred Edward was born on 20 October 1903 at Exeter, Devon and travelled as a youngster with his parents to New Zealand. He married Dorothy Enez Adelaide Rich in the Methodist Church, Newmarket, Auckland on 8 December 1936. He was a Watchmaker by trade. They had no children. He worked at Farmers Trading Company, Hobson Street, Auckland and he trained Dorothy to be a watch-maker as well. They resided at Methuen Rd, Avondale. He ws a keen photographer and had a movie camera.

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The Coopers of Streatham and Beyond(Part 4)