Early Cooper family.

It must be stressed that this is only an initial gathering of names. All the church records in the vicinity of Darwen should be studied as well as further afield before you could with any certainty say that all these names belonged to your family.

Joseph Cooper we know from the census was born in Darwen and we have an approximate date of birth so the Joseph baptised in 1809 at the Wesleyan Chapel in Over Darwen seems a good bet. However we do not know where his father Richard was born. The other records of Coopers at the Wesleyan have given us approximate dates for Joseph's parents and two brothers.

There is a second Richard Cooper about Darwen at the same time as your possible Richard. This Richard Cooper was married to Ann and so far two children have been found. Richard Cooper baptized 23 Oct 1785 (abode O. Darwen) and Tho's Cooper Sep 1788 (abode Pickup Bank). These are from Darwen Chapel (St James). From the burial records an Anne Cooper age 78 was buried 29 Nov 1817 and a Richard Cooper was buried age 76 on 29 Aug 1818 giving him a birthyear about 1742.

I had hopes of a Richard Cooper christened 25 Aug 1764 at Saint Peter, Bolton le Moors parents Joseph and Betty. (batch P007153 familysearch site). But that was based on thinking Richard's first son being called Joseph. Now Richard's first son could have been Thurston. However the Bolton family should also be studied in more detail to find out what happened to them.

It is possible that Richard's baptism and marriage details may be amongst those records which are unreadable, damaged or lost.

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One possible scenario.

Richard Cooper born about 1765 (from burial 63 years old in 1828 Wesleyan Darwen)
Betty born about 1763 (from burial age 48 in 1811 Wesleyan Darwen)
children
Thurston Cooper c. 16 Mar 1783 son of Rich. Cooper + Betty
William Cooper c. 23 Jan 1785 son of Rich. Cooper + Betty
{Darwen St. James, this makes Betty about 20 when Thurston was born. Looking for a marriage before 1783, Joseph's brother James called his first son Thurston}
Betty Cooper c. 29 April 1787 Richard Cooper + Betty Duxbury born 12 March 1787 living at Drummer Stoops
Joseph Cooper c. 28 June 1789 Richard Cooper + Betty Duxbury born 11 June 1789 living at Sough - Twin to Benjamin (St. James burial 1 July 1789 Joseph Cooper son of Rich'd + Betty)
Benjamin Cooper c. 28 June 1789 Richard Cooper + Betty Duxbury born 11 June 1789 living at Sough - Twin to Joseph
{This information extracted from a transcript at Darwen Library, many thanks to the person who did this. Baptisms at Lower Darwen Chapel compiled using Chapel records and Rev. Smalley's private records}
Betty Cooper c. 18 Jul 1790 Richard Cooper + Betty (see batch 7607623 and 7515013, submitted details no church given)
Richard Cooper c. 2 Jan 1793 Richard Cooper + Betty (see batch 7516130 Wesleyan Chapel, Blackburn. There is a burial at St James Darwen 20 Feb 1822 Richard Cooper age 30)
James Cooper c. 6 Jul 1798 b. 15 May 1798
George Cooper c. 13 Nov 1804 b. 3 Aug 1804
Joseph Cooper c. 15 Oct 1809 b. 18 Jun 1809
{Wesleyan Chapel, Darwen - you have copies of these also -
burial March 30 1811 Betty wife of Richard Cooper died March 28 age 48 of Natural causes
burial Oct 2 1828 Richard Cooper age 63
also 25 June 1815 Mary daughter of Richard Cooper age 16}

Joseph was not yet 2 then when his mother died.

A new puzzle.

Happy new year to everyone.

Jimmy, I have been looking at the Directory sheets that I passed on to you. These have thrown up a new puzzle.

Your father, age 4 in 1901 census living at 64 London Terrace.
1903 Richard Cooper shopman 64 London Terrace. (your grandfather)
But in 1900 James Cooper Grocer, 8 Market street, 1 Grimshaw st, 21 Duckworth st, and 64 London terrace. Tel 125
1903 James Cooper, grocer, 8 Market Street, 21 Duckworth street, and 1 Grimshaw street, Tel 125

It looks like your father was not born at 64 London Terrace.
I do not know if there was a time lag between gathering information and publishing a directory. And why has James more than one address? did he own a string of Grocers ? The photo of 64 London Terrace does not look like it was a shop.

Also Cooper Bros. corn millers and hay and straw dealers, Shorey bank tel 125a was not in 1891 directory so was it founded some time between 1891 and 1900 ?

I am looking at Richard's (your grandfathers) brothers. They would have been your fathers uncles.
JOSEPH COOPER born about 1859, he would have been about 12 when Richard was born. He seems a likely candidate for founding or co-founding the Corn business. From the census in 1891 he was employed as a paper finisher but by 1901 census he was an EMPLOYER described as ?? corn dealer. BUT he was in BLACKPOOL!!! The directories tell us that (1891) Joseph was an agent 31 Anyon street (1900) Joseph Cooper (Cooper Bros.) h. 31 Anyon street and (1903) Jph. Cooper (Cooper Bros.) h. Blackpool. (I think a h indicated home address rather than business address.)

The census information for Joseph Cooper.
1891
RG12,3414,88,14
Blackburn Darwen 16
31 Anyon St.
Jos. Cooper 32 Paper finisher employed born Darwen
Mary 33
Annie 9
Ellen 1 day
Phylise Kay 40 sick nurse born Lancs. Rothersall ?

1901
RG13,3974,95,49
Fylde Blackpool 32
62 St. Heliers?? Rd.
Joseph Cooper 42 ??? corn dealer Employer born Darwen
Mary Ann 43
Annie 19
Ellen Adelaide 9
George Leech 3

Which of his brothers were co-founders ?
Was the business so successful it allowed Joseph to go and live in Blackpool whilst keeping his business in Darwen? or did he have another business in Blackpool ? or did they move to Blackpool for the sea air and health reasons ? Note large age gaps between children.
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JOHN COOPER born about 1860, one possibility for John is that he left Darwen before 1891 to live in Preston.

1891
RG12,3433,93,37
Preston Trinity 29
111 ?????
John Cooper 31 Cotton tape sizer born Darwen
Nancy 31
Joseph 3m born Preston

1901
RG13,3946,155,31
212 Fletcher Rd
John Cooper 41 Cotton tape sizer born Darwen
Nancy 41
Joseph 10 born Preston
Mary E 6 born Preston

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ALFRED COOPER born about 1862, one possibility or Alfred is that he was a cotton loomer.

1891
RG12,3415,146,24
Blackburn Darwen 25
24 Kilker St?? 5 Starkie st ??
Alfred Cooper 29 Loomer in cotton mill born Darwen
Jane E 28 Grocer
Clara 7
Richard 4

1901
RG13,3921,115,8
Blackburn Darwen 14
50 Perry St ?
Alfred Cooper 39 Cotton loomer born Darwen
Betsy 38
Clara 17 cotton winder
Richard 14 Clerk paper worker
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JAMES COOPER born about 1866, could he have been a partner in the business? There are more than one James Cooper so this would need more research. But one possibility :-

1891
RG12,3414,137,25
Blackburn Darwen 18
2 Marsh Ter.
James W Cooper 25 Provisions Dealer + Sub Postmaster born Darwen
Sarah A 25
Sarah E 4
Esther A 2m

Same street as father Richard Cooper
19 Marsh Ter.
Richd Cooper 53 Millwright employed born Darwen
Ellen 52
William 20 Millwright
Richard 18 Papermaker
Mary 15 Cotton winder
Ellen 13
Mary sister to Richard 40 living on own means

1901
RG13,3973,144,35
Fylde Blackpool 28
South Shore Holy Trinity
164 Lytham Rd
James Cooper 35 Grocer, shopkeeper Employer born Darwen
Sarah Ann 35
Sarah E 14 Pupil Teacher
Esther A 10
Annie Bohiem? 20 Domestic servant born Germany

Was this the same James as in 1891 Directory :-
James Cooper grocer (Sub-post office) 73 Lomax street

1900
James Cooper grocer 8 Market street, 1 Grimshaw st, 21 Duckworth st, and 64 London terrace. Tel. 125

1903
James Cooper grocer 8 Market street, 21 Duckworth street and 1 Grimshaw street. Tel 125

Could James have been living at 64 London terrace then moved to Blackpool, brother Richard taking over the house? Or is this another James? Will have to keep an eye out for these addresses in the 1901 census to see if they are on. Unfortunately on Ancestry.co.uk you cannot search the census by address.