General Chat

Hi It's been a while, but with the 100th anniversary of the WW1 armistice rapidly approaching I hope that I can get in touch with any descendants of the Cooper family of Braintree, who lost four young men between 1916 and 1917. Locally they are quite well known, but my wife, who moved away from the area in 1967, is the grand-daughter of Ernest Cooper, a career soldier and older brother who survived the war. I have contacted the British Legion and remembered the lads on their 'Everyoneremembered' site. What I was hoping for was some more background on the young men themselves. Hopefully somebody can help, and of course photographs would be amazing. Cheers

According to the Every One Remembered site, there are 2330 listings for Cooper.

If you'd like help trying to trace their descendants, then please give the information to identify them.

To start with, apart from Ernest, do you know if any of them married? Did they have any female siblings who may have married?

Search All Member trees - top right under Search - for the names. Send a message to any tree owner who lists them. If the young men had married, they be a direct descendent.

From a newspaper article

Harry, Arthur, Bertie and George Cooper lived with their family in Gooseberry Hall in South Street, Braintree, when war broke out in 1914.

Rifleman Harry, 26, of the 1st Battalion Queen Victoria’s Rifles, was the first to die at the Somme on October 2, 1916. (body never found - name listed on Thiepval Memorial)

Next was Arthur, 29, a Private in the Essex Regiment, who died of wounds on March 25, 1917.

Their 21-year-old brother Bertie followed on April 9, 1917 - he was killed in action while serving as a Private in the 9th Battalion Essex Regiment.

Bertie’s name remains on the Arras Memorial in France.

The final blow to their widower father, Joseph, and his remaining two sons and three daughters, was 24-year-old George’s death on August 5, 1917.

George, a rifleman in the 10th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles, was killed in action and, like Harry, his body was never found.

His name appears on the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing at Ypres in Flanders.

https://tinyurl.com/y7cddlg9 Braintree & Witham Times 12 May 2015

Rifleman
COOPER, HARRY
Service Number 6707
Died 02/10/1916
1st/9th Bn.
London Regiment (Queen Victoria's Rifles)

UK, Army Registers of Soldiers' Effects, 1901-1929
Name: Harry Cooper
Gender: Male
Death Date: 2 Oct 1916
Rank: Private
Regiment: London Regiment
Regimental Number: 6707/392777

Outstanding pay & gratuity to father Joseph, so not married.

Awarded the Victory & British medal.

Unfortunately about 70% of WW1 records were destroyed during WW2 bombing.
From the medals issued, we can estimate that he didn't serve overseas before 31 Dec 1915

FMP's transcription gives his place of enlistment

First name(s) Harry
Last name Cooper
Service number 6707
Rank Rifleman
Regiment London Regiment
Battalion 9th (County of London) Battalion (Queen Victoria's
Residence Braintree
Birth place -
Enlistment place Chelmsford
Death year 1916
Death day 2
Death month 10
Cause of death Killed in action
Death place France & Flanders
Theatre of war Western European Theatre

Private COOPER, A
Service Number 3/2777
Died 25/03/1917
11th Bn. Essex Regiment

Name: Arthur Cooper
Birth Place: Bocking, Essex
Residence: Braintree
Death Date: 25 Mar 1917
Death Place: France and Flanders
Enlistment Place: Chelmsford
Rank: Private
Regiment: Essex Regiment
Battalion: 11th Battalion
Regimental Number: 3/2777
Type of Casualty: Died of wounds
Theatre of War: Western European Theatre

UK, Army Registers of Soldiers' Effects, 1901-1929
Name: Arthur Cooper
Gender: Male
Death Date: 25 Mar 1917
Death Place: France
Rank: Private
Regiment: Essex Regiment
Regimental Number: 3/2777

Effects to sole legatee, father Joseph.

Buried BETHUNE TOWN CEMETERY VI. C. 33.

You can see a photo of his headstone here -
https://www.twgpp.org/photograph/view/3066991

He should have been awarded the British & Victory medals. However, Ancestry is 'down'.

1891 Census? giving a number of family names


Name: Joseph Cooper
Gender: Male
Age: 36
Relationship: Head
Birth Year: 1855
Spouse: Emma Cooper
Birth Place: Black Notley, Essex, England
Civil Parish: Braintree
Residence Place: Braintree, Essex, England
Sub registration district: Braintree
ED, Institution or Vessel: 8

Piece: 1426
Folio: 111
Household Members:
Name Age
Joseph Cooper 36
Emma Cooper 35
Joseph W Cooper 18
Minnie Cooper 13
Ellen Cooper 9
Ernest J Cooper 7
Alice Cooper 5
Arthur Cooper 3
Harry Cooper 7/12
.....................
1901 including Bertie

Name: Joseph Cooper
Age: 46
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1855
Relation to Head: Head
Gender: Male
Birth Place: Black Notley, Essex, England
Civil Parish: Braintree
Ecclesiastical parish: Braintree St Michael the Archangel
Town: Braintree
County/Island: Essex
Country: England


Name Age
Joseph Cooper 46
William Cooper 25
Minnie Cooper 22
Ellen Cooper 19
Ernest Cooper 17 - direct ancestor (you probably know of other relatives)
Alise Cooper 15
Arthur Cooper 13 - killed
Harry Cooper 10 - killed
George Cooper 8 - killed
Bertie Cooper 5 - killed
..........

1911
Joseph Cooper
Age in 1911: 56
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1855
Relation to Head: Head
Gender: Male
Birth Place: Black Notley, Essex
Civil Parish: Braintree
Search Photos: Search for 'Braintree' in the UK City, Town and Village Photos collection
County/Island: Essex
Country: England
Street address: South Street, Braintree, Essex
Marital Status: Widowed
Occupation: Jobbing Gardener
Registration district: Braintree
Registration District Number: 201
Sub-registration district: Braintree
ED, institution, or vessel: 2
Household schedule number: 195

Name Age
Joseph Cooper 56
Arthur Cooper 23
Harry Cooper 21
George Cooper 18
Bertie Cooper 16

The image says 10 children born, 9 living. As a total of 9 appear on census, presumably the 10th was born & died between census?

That name count can't be right. Joseph 1876 appears to be known as William

COOPER, JOSEPH WILLIAM mmn HURRELL
GRO Reference: 1875 S Quarter in BRAINTREE Volume 04A Page 419

COOPER, MINNIE mmn HURRELL
GRO Reference: 1877 S Quarter in BRAINTREE Volume 04A Page 417

COOPER, ALICE EMMA mmn HURRELL
GRO Reference: 1879 S Quarter in BRAINTREE Volume 04A Page 459
Her death
COOPER, ALICE EMMA 3
GRO Reference: 1882 D Quarter in BRAINTREE Volume 04A Page 291

COOPER, ELLEN mmn HURRELL
GRO Reference: 1881 D Quarter in BRAINTREE Volume 04A Page 508

COOPER, ERNEST JOHN mmn HURRELL (ancestor)
GRO Reference: 1883 D Quarter in BRAINTREE Volume 04A Page 546

COOPER, ALICE mmn HURRELL
GRO Reference: 1885 D Quarter in BRAINTREE Volume 04A Page 569

COOPER, ARTHUR mmn HURRELL (Killed)
GRO Reference: 1888 J Quarter in BRAINTREE Volume 04A Page 611

COOPER, HARRY mmn HURRELL (Killed)
GRO Reference: 1890 D Quarter in BRAINTREE Volume 04A Page 563

COOPER, GEORGE mmn HURRELL (KIlled)
GRO Reference: 1893 J Quarter in BRAINTREE Volume 04A Page 677

COOPER, BERTIE mmn HURRELL (Killed)
GRO Reference: 1895 D Quarter in BRAINTREE Volume 04A Page 668

10 births

Name: Bertie Cooper
Age: 22
Birth Date: abt 1895
Death Date: 9 Apr 1917
Cemetery: The Arras Memorial at Faubourg-D´Amiens Cemetery, Arras
Burial Country: France
Regiment: Essex Regiment
Regimental Number: 26996
Region or Memorial: France
Name: Bertie Cooper
Birth Place: Braintree
Residence: Braintree
Death Date: 9 Apr 1917
Death Place: France and Flanders
Enlistment Place: Braintree
Rank: Private
Regiment: Essex Regiment
Battalion: 9th Battalion
Regimental Number: 26996
Type of Casualty: Killed in action
Theatre of War: Western European Theatre

UK, Army Registers of Soldiers' Effects, 1901-1929
Name: Bertie Cooper
Gender: Male
Death Date: 9 Apr 1917
Rank: Private
Regiment: Essex Regiment
Regimental Number: 26996

Effects to father Joseph, sole legatee

Awarded the British & Victory medals

George Cooper
Birth Place: Braintree, Essex
Residence: Braintree, Essex
Death Date: 5 Aug 1917
Death Place: France and Flanders
Enlistment Place: Chelmsford, Essex
Rank: Rifleman
Regiment: Royal Irish Rifles
Battalion: 10th Battalion
Regimental Number: 41213
Type of Casualty: Killed in action
Theatre of War: Western European Theatre
Comments: Formerly 2431, Essex Regt.

Ireland, Casualties of World War I, 1914-1922
Name: George Cooper
Regiment: Royal Irish Rifles
Regimental Number: 41213
Death Date: 5 Aug 1917
Death Place: France
Birth Place: Braintree, England

UK, Army Registers of Soldiers' Effects, 1901-1929
Effects to father Joseph

Returning to the children.
There's a tree on Ancestry suggesting that Minnie 1877 died unmarried

Name: Minnie Cooper
Death Age: 69
Birth Date: abt 1877
Registration Date: Dec 1946
Registration district: essex South Western
Inferred County: Essex
Volume: 5a
Page: 191
..........
They have a note against Joseph William Cooper saying

1915 • India and Bagdad
Quartermaster in the India Army - relocated to Baghdad, where he was shot in shoulder - invalid back to England
......

Ellen is supposed to have married Bertie Oscar Day

Name: Ellen Cooper
Registration Year: 1910
Registration Quarter: Jan-Feb-Mar
Registration district: Braintree
Parishes for this Registration District: View Ecclesiastical Parishes associated with this Registration District
Inferred County: Essex
Volume: 4a
Page: 1154
Records on Page:
Name
Kate Emily Byford
Ellen Cooper
Bertie Oscar Day

1939 register
Day Household (3 People)
29 Grenville Road , Braintree and Bocking U.D., Essex, England

FIRST NAME(S) LAST NAME(S) DOB SEX OCCUPATION MARITAL STATUS SCHEDULE SCHEDULE SUB NUMBER
Ellen Day 18 Oct 1886 Female Domestic (Unpaid) Married 114 2
Bertie O Day 10 Oct 1882 Male Brush Maker Pan Hat Married 114 1
Geoffrey B Day 23 Apr 1911 Male Insurance Agent Single 114 3

Geoffrey's birth reg
DAY, GEOFFREY BRUCE mmn COOPER
GRO Reference: 1911 J Quarter in BRAINTREE Volume 04A Page 844

Marriage
Geoffrey B Day
Registration Date: Jul-Aug-Sep 1943
Registration district: Braintree
Inferred County: Essex
Spouse: Winifred E Partridge
Volume Number: 4a
Page Number: 2119

They had a daughter, b 1945 Braintree. Details on freebmd.

Geoffrey's probate entry
Name: Geoffrey Bruce Day
Death Date: 27 Nov 1991
(lived in) Bocking Braintree
Probate Date: 21 Feb 1992
Registry: London

Value of estate £157448
You could order a copy of the Will to see the names of the beneficiaries or executors.
£10 from https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/#wills
Alternatively, his DC from GRO for £9.25

Geoffrey Bruce Day
Death Age: 80
Birth Date: 23 Apr 1911
Registration Date: Nov 1991
Registration district: Braintree
Inferred County: Essex
Volume: 9
Page: 1521

Ignoring Ernest, not being confident with further 'follow through' records, it might be worth pursuing the Geoffrey Bruce Day line. Unfortunately, his daughter doesn't have an uncommon name. Hence the suggestion of purchasing a copy of his will &/or dc

I once knew an Alan Cooper from Braintree, he had red hair and freckles. If you have ever read "Mad" magazine he was a dead ringer.

South Street is a long meandering street of mostly small somewhat ramshackle houses. Some of them have been demolished and rebuilt. Also in S Street is the Warner Bros silk mill founded by the Huguenots.It was still in commercial production not that long ago. Now it is a museum with working looms. The Queen's coronation robes were woven at Warner's (later Courtalds).

Also from S Street is the Railway Approach. One of my rellies had a large house there though somewhat short of a mansion.

Braintree was at one time famous for metal windows made by Crittalls. There are still quite a few great art deco houses with these windows.

A relative here......

https://www.nivets.org.uk/forums/showthread.php?7733-Cooper-brothers-of-Braintree

Details of the Geoffrey Day marriage (from SEAX ref D/P 264/1/43 Image 100):

10th July 1943 at St Michael's Braintree, after banns
Geoffrey Bruce Day age 32 bachelor, soldier, of 29, Grenville Road Braintree;
Winifred Edith Partridge, age 32, spinster, traveller, of 152, Panfield Lane, Bocking
Fathers: Bertie Oscar Day brush maker; Robert James Partridge farmer.
Witnesses: Ken J Partridge, E Day.

The Sun brush works at that time were in Manor St., Braintree.

PM sent to N17 reminding him to check & acknowledge the posts on this thread.
16 Oct @ 1039. Msg not accessed

Thanks, I have seen this and hope to take it further. I am currently making a short film in honour and remembrance of the Cooper Brothers and their sacrifice in WW1.

I am very confused about this, as these records show the mother's maiden name as Hurrell, when my tree (and my wife's own recollections) shows her name and that of her entire family as Ward

COOPER, BERTIE HURRELL
GRO Reference: 1895 D Quarter in BRAINTREE Volume 04A Page 668

COOPER, HARRY HURRELL
GRO Reference: 1890 D Quarter in BRAINTREE Volume 04A Page 563 Order

COOPER, ARTHUR HURRELL
GRO Reference: 1888 J Quarter in BRAINTREE Volume 04A Page 611 Order

I have repeated the birth search s above from the General Register Office . All Mother's Maiden Name Hurrell.


It's difficult to dispute the facts from GRO. Could Ward be another strand of the family?

Repeated the search just to double check with MMN Ward - no results in everyone so the MMN can't be Ward.