Percy Cooper (1900-1967)

Dates

Birth: 2 January 1900 Betchworth, Surrey, UK
Father: George Cooper 1855-1927
Mother: Emma Tovey 1857-1946

Marriage: 16 September 1933 Brockham Green, Surrey, UK
Wife: Ellen May Arnold 1911-1990

Death: 2 December 1967 Rose Cottage, Brockham Pits, Brockham, Surrey, UK

Children

Dennis A Cooper 1935-a1939
Colin W A Cooper 1945
Eric P A Cooper 1947-a1984

Notes

Birth of Percy Cooper in FreeBMD in January-March 1900 in Reigate (2a 176).

In the 1901 census as Percy Cooper aged 1, born in Betchworth, Surrey, and living with his parents (George and Emma), five brothers (Arthur, Ernest, Frederick, George and Walter), and three sisters (George (sic - in the index, Grace on the original), Emma and Rose) at Brockham Lime Works, Betchworth, Surrey.

In the 1911 census as Percy Cooper aged 11, born in Betchworth, Surrey, and living with his parents (George and Emma), two brothers (George Edward and Walter), and two sisters (Dorothy Annie and Grace Ellen) in four rooms at Brockham Pits, Betchworth, Surrey.

There are eleven entries in Ancestry All Surrey, England, Electoral Registers, 1832-1962 for Percy Cooper address Brockham Pits, Chalkpit Lane, Brockham, Reigate from 1924 to 1933. His mother and family were living in Limeworks Cottages.

Marriage of Percy Cooper and Ellen M Arnold in FreeBMD in July-September 1933 in Reigate (2a 683).

Entry in Ancestry Surrey, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1937 for the marriage of Percy Cooper aged 33, father George Cooper, and Ellen May Arnold on 16 September 1933 at Brockham Green, Christ Church. "Page 215 [...] 1933 Marriage solemnized in the Parish of Brockham Green in the County of Surrey. [No.] 430 September 16th 1933 Percy Cooper [aged] 33 [a] Bachelor [and] Railway Servant [of] Brockham Pits [father] George Cooper (deceased) [a] Lime Burner, [and] Ellen May Arnold [aged] 22 [a] Spinster [and] Housemaid [of] 9 Brockham Pits [father] Harry Arold [a] Labourer. Married in the Church according to the Rites and Ceremonies of the Established Church after Banns [...] in the Presence of us George Edward Cooper".

His son was born in SE Surrey in 1935.

There are six entries in Ancestry All Surrey, England, Electoral Registers, 1832-1962 for Percy Cooper address 10 Limeworks Cottages, Brockham Pits, Chalkpit Lane, Brockham, Reigate from 1934 to 1939, other occupants Ellen May Cooper (wife?), Frederick Charles Cooper (brother?), Sarah Ann Cooper (sister-in-law) and Emma Cooper (mother?) although he was also living at Brockham Pits with Edward Cooper (brother?).

In the 1939 Register as Percy Cooper born 2 January 1900, married, a railway signalman, and living with Emma Cooper (widowed mother?), Ellen M Cooper (wife?), Edward Cooper (nephew?) and one other (son?) at Rose Cottages, Brockham Pits, Dorking, Surrey.

His two sons were born in SE Surrey in 1945 and 1947.

His mother died on 16 November 1946 at Rose Cottage, Brockham Pits and left effects of £456 3s. 4d. to Percy Cooper railway signalman.

There are twelve entries in Ancestry All Surrey, England, Electoral Registers, 1832-1962 for Percy Cooper address Rose Cottage, Brockham Pits, Chalkpit Lane, Brockham, Reigate changing to Dorking in 1949, from 1945 to 1961 other occupants Ellen M Cooper (wife?), Emma Cooper (mother?) to 1948, and Dennis A Cooper (son?) in 1958 and 1959.

Entry in Ancestry England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995 for Percy Cooper died 2 December 1967 in Surrey, probate 21 February 1968 in Lewes. "Cooper Percy of Rose Cottage Brockham Pits Brockham Betchworth Sy died 2 December 1967 Administration Lewes 21 February. £2385".

There are seventeen entries in Ancestry Public Member Trees for Percy Cooper including an extract from an interview with Winifred A M Thompson by Mary Vogwell.

My maternal grandmother Emma looked after Nancy when she was very ill. Nancy worked as a servant in big houses link to Kents and mum says she became rather grand Emma would get sent to the kitchen if visitors came (while she was looking after Nancy.) Emma became so stressed that she got shingles and was sent home. Wally picked her up and saw her onto train to come back home to Reading (Wally Chiles)? When Emma Tovey was a shop assistant one of the wealthy business men took a liking to her but she wasn't interested. She died in Betchworth. George and Emma became Plymouth Brethren and they brought up the children very strictly. All had to read the scriptures every day. Apparantly all the boyswent to war WW1 and all came back safely, one had shell shock on his return. One of the boys died under a combine harvester when he was 14.

Note Reigate became part of Surrey SE in 1934.

Relationship

Percy Cooper was the father of Eric P A Cooper, husband of Teresa J Barton, third cousin once removed of Dennis Alfred Barton, my brother-in-law.

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