George Cooper b. 1849

Now this is the man who changed the family fortune. I think he was a very nice man who looked after his family. The census gives little indication of this.

1861 living with his parents Whit Lane age 11 cotton cloth bleacher

1871 living with his mother Whit Lane age 21 stone mason

1881 living with his mother Whit Lane age 31 no occupation

(from mothers probate sometime before 1886 they moved across the river to Lower Broughton Road - at that time moving to a better area)

1891 326 Lower Broughton Road?

Geo Cooper 41 commission agent b. Manchester

Ann Cooper 29 sister b. Manchester

Elizabeth Jones 21 servant b. Wales

1901 living with his sister Maria and her family at Ashton Lane, Ashton upon Mersey

age 51 living on own means born Pendleton

.........................................................................

Probate 1908

George Cooper of Oak Villa Ashton-on-Mersey Cheshire

died 7 August 1908 at Brighton

to Joseph Cooper commission agent

£288,519

........................................................................

Ted has very kindly shared some information which shows how some of the family viewed George.....

A note from his grandma Augusta James about George Cooper her father's uncle. "Sir George Cooper died late 1908 or before March 1909 when I was born in Carlton England. My father George James, saw a notice in a San Francisco newspaper mentioning Sir George Cooper's death and seeking heirs. Then my parents travelled to England. Sir George Cooper never married, he was a bookie, amassed his wealth and donated to charity for which he was knighted. He also owned and raced sulky ponies. I don't know for a fact but the name Huntington Hall as his abode rings a bell. His lawyer was named Mason and I think lived in Manchester, England".

Ted has not found any reference to George being knighted, he has found him in Kelly's directory 1902 as esquire which over time has meant a lot of things but in the late 1800s apparently was an honour just below knighthood.

..............................................................................................

More information about him has come from newspaper articles

(library subscription site) Freeman's Journal and Daily Commercial Advertiser (Dublin)

Saturday June 30 1877

At the Southern Divisional Police Court yesterday, before, Mr. Barton, Mr J. W. Fowler clerk in the Bank of Ireland, living at Rathgarm was put up in the custody of Detective Officers Kavanagh and Prandy, charged with having on June 1st stolen from the runner's office in the Bank of Ireland a Provincial Bank note for £100. He was also charged with having the missing £100 note illegally in his possession on the 26th inst. at the Curragh race meeting, while making a bet with two betting men.

Mr. Charles Fitzgerald appeared to prosecute on behalf of the Governors of the Bank of Ireland Mr. Matthew Crane appeared for the prisoner.

Mr. George Byrne, 8 Summer-hill, Kingstown, said he was in the employment of the Bank of Ireland as runner. On June 1st in the coruse of his duty as runner he received from the Provincial Bank for the Bank of Ireland £1,257 0s 10d. for bills of exchange; the money was made up of twelve £100 notes, one £50 note, a £5 and £2. He brought the money to the Bank of Ireland and placed it in his desk; he put one £100 and the £50 and £8 on one side of his desk apart to clear off another account; he left his box for three or four minutes; when he returned and opened the door of his box he perceived at once that the £100 note had been taken from the top of the £50; he communicated with the parties present, and they said it was nonsense - the cote could not be lost; the parties who were near his box when he went out were the prisoner, Mr. Oldfield, and the porter; this was about three o'clock; on missing the note he took up the remaining notes and went back to the Provincial Bank and asked could there possibly be any mistake? the teller said there could not and, witness then ascertained from him the number of the missing note.

Cross-examined by Mr. Cane - The number of the missing note was 1892 in the Bank of Ireland they did not take the numbers of notes; he got the information from the tellers of the Provincial Bank; during the time witness was absent a dozen parties could have gone into the office. Re-examined - That same day he showed the remaining eleven £100 notes to the teller of the Provincial Bank.

To his Worship- When I said I had missed £100, Mr. Fowley said it was nonsense, and he came to help me to make up my cash.

To Mr. Cane - I did not take the note myself in the hurry of business; when it came to the bank from the Curragh, how could I have taken it?

Mr. Colin Mackenzie Stronoch, 6 Upper-terrace, Rathmines, deposed he was a teller in the Provincial Bank; he recollected seeing Mr. Byrne in the bank on June 1st; he paid him £1,257 0s 10d. which included twelve £100 notes, and on comparing them with the numbers he had taken down, he ascertained the number of the note that Mr. Byrne had not produced to be 1892; could swear the note produced (No 1892) was one of the notes he gave to Byrne that day.

Mr. George Cooper, Whit-lane, Pendleton, Manchester, who described himself as a betting man said he was on the Curragh on Tuesday, the 26th he saw the prisoner there that day, and made a bet with him, witness laid him £50 to £20 against Spelling Bee for the Scurrys; the prisoner lost the bet, and witness received a £100 note from him, out of which witness returned £80 change; after the race was run. Mr. Fowler put a pencil mark on the note; he could swear the note produced was the one in question.

Cross-examined - Made three hundred or two hundred bets the same day with other parties; he entered the bets in his book (book produced).

To his Worship - I got 360 odd pounds that day, besides a cheque-book. I could have given anyone a cheque for £200 that day; it was not my first visit to the Curragh; I would not have betted with anyone who did not produce ready money, unless he was a particular friend; my partner, Mr. Cheadle, was present at the making of the bet.

Mr. Amos Moroney Vereker, of the Bank of Ireland, deposed that he knew the prisoner's handwriting, and he believed the writing on the back of the note to be his.

To Mr. Cane, Mr Vereker stated that the prisoner had been for several years in his office.

Mr. Fitzgerald said that completed their case, but he intended to ask for a remand, as the names of other persons had been mentioned, and he would have them in attendance the next day, if they wished to take advantage of it and be examined.

Mr. Cane said he would be satisfied to let the case go forward for trial, as it would save trouble, and the only question was as to bail

Mr. Fitzgerald said the bank authorities had no feeling on the matter - they only wished to do their duty.

Mr. Barton intimated that he would send the prisoner for trial to the County sessions.

Mr. Cane, after consultation with the prisoner, said his client had instructed him to say that under the circumstances, he would leave the cast in the hands of his worship, and hoped he would deal with it, and he was sure the bank authorities would offer no objection.

Mr. Barton suggested that the case should be allowed to stand for half an hour, in order that Mr. De Moleyns, solicitor to the bank, might consult the bank authorities on the subject.

The suggestion was adopted, and the prisoner was put back. Later in the evening Mr. De Moleyns returned, and stated that he had been unable to see the governor.

The case was then adjoured until one o'clock to-day.

....................................................................................

(library subscription site) The Bury+Norwich Post and Suffolk Herald

Tue. May 17 1881

Newmarket

Forging a betting ticket - Wm. Fergurson was brought up on remand on the charge of uttering a forged betting ticket with intent to defraud George Cooper, a bookmaker, of £20 in the betting ring, at the race stand, on Newmarket-heath, on Friday, the 6th inst. - Cooper, the prosecutor, failed to appear, and the prisoner was discharged. - Prisoner is a printer by trade, and says that a stranger gave him the ticket to cash, and promised him a sovereign for his trouble.

.........................................................................................

(library subscription site) The Times

Aug. 8 1908

Mr. George Cooper, a well-known and greatly respected member of the 'Ring', died yesterday morning at Brighton Infirmary, where he was conveyed on Thursday afternoon when seized with a sudden illness during business at Brighton. The cause of death was diabetic coma. Mr. Cooper, who was 58 years of age, was the owner of Roecanna and several other racehorses trained by J. Hornsby at Rottingdean, and was at one time in partnership with the late Mr. John Rowson.

..............................................................................

(google search) The Gazette, Montreal, Tuesday Sept 15 1908

Richest British Bookmaker.

George Cooper once a stonemason, leaves $2,500,000

London, Aug 29 - An unparalleled fortune for a bookmaker has been left by George Cooper, who collapsed while following - his profession at Brighton races, and died next morning from diabetic coma. His estate is understood to be worth close on $2,500,000. Nothing approaching this figure can be recalled in the case of bookmakers. In recent times the largest fortune left by a member of the profession was that of Alec Harris, who died worth about $750,000. Mr Harris began life with a charity school education and a head for figures.

Mr Cooper was originally a stone-mason in the North, and he commenced his career as a bookmaker by making a 'copper' book on a piece of waste ground in his dinner hour. From this beginning he in time rose to be one of the leading operators, everyone who went racing being acquainted with the firm of Cooper & Rowson. Mr Rowson, who predeceased his partner by 2 or 3 years, left only about $400,000, but he probably spent as much as that on his family, the luxuries of life and in charity. Mr Cooper, unlike his partner, was a bachelor, with inexpensive tastes. It was not to bookmaking exclusively that he owed his great fortune, though that provided him with the means of making money in other directions. Among other things he was an extensive landowner in Cheshire.

There are several bookmakers whose resources must surpass even those of Mr. Cooper. One member of the profession is a manufacturing stationer on a very large scale, while two others have vast steel interests, which yield them a fortune every year.

.........................................................................................

(library subscription site) The Manchester Guardian

Dec. 5 1908

Re. George Cooper, deceased -

Pursuant to the Statute 22 and 23 Victoria, chapter 35, notice is hereby given that all creditors and other persons having any claims or demands against the estate of GEORGE COOPER, late of Oak Villa, Ashton-on-Mersey, and of Little Huntington Hall, near Chester, both in the county of Chester, deceased (who died on the 7th day of August, 1908, and whose will was proved in the Principal Registry of the Probate Division of His Majesty's High Court of Justice on the 31st day of August, 1908, by Joseph Cooper, one of the executors therein named), are hereby required to send the particulars in writing of their claims or demands to us the undersigned, the solicitors for the said Joseph Cooper, on or before the 31st day of December, 1908, after which date the said executor will proceed to distribute the assets of the said deceased amongst the persons entitled thereto, having regard only to the claims and demands of which he shall then have had notice, and he will not be liable for the assets of the said deceased or any part thereof so distributed to any person or persons of whose claims or demands he shall not then have had notice-

Dated this 2nd day of September 1908

John Hewitt+Son of 33 Brazennose-street

Manchester

Solicitor for the said Executor

.......................................................................

(google search) Fortunes by Fielding NZ Truth 28 May 1910

extract : George Cooper, who died only about 18 months ago left nearly half a million. He commenced life in a very humble way, but was able to give £50,000 for an estate adjoining that of the Duke of Westminster in Cheshire.

......................................................................

Ted has sent some more information from Kelly's directories, some from the online site at http://cheshire directories.manuscripteye.com, and some from a CD he has, many thanks.

1896 at that point George Cooper esq. is already Lord of the Manor at Huntington House.

1902 Nurseryman+florist, Ashton Lane. William Mason.

1902 "Huntington township of scattered houses 3 miles Chester. The Duke of Westminster, George Cooper esq. of Manchester, who is Lord of the Manor, and Mrs Barnston are the principal landowners. Pop. 1901 121"

1906 Kellys directory shows William Mason on Ashton Road as a florist

1910 directory shows the "trustees of the late George Cooper esq" as Lord of the Manor at Huntington hall.

1910 William Mason, Huntington Hall

And as Ted has pointed out did George Cooper own both properties Oak Villa Ashton on Mersey and (Little) Huntington Hall. Ted googled Oak Villa Ashton-on-Mersey and found a death report of a James Greaves 1934 which indicated that there was an Oak Villa on Ashton Lane.

Googling "Huntington Hall" Chester a couple of interesting photos are online. There is an Old Huntington Hall, Aldford Rd Huntington which is now a Country Club, and there is Huntington Hall where Gary Speed died. I could not find anything for "Little Huntington Hall".

Following on from the lead by Ted, it reminded me of the Cheshire wills online service. George is not on there but William Mason is, and shows that in 1917 William Mason was of Huntington Hall near Chester.

John Cooper b. 1845

In August 1872 (reported in Lancaster Gazette) John was injured in a train crash.

I have typed that up on the Salford blog.

1881 7 Bromleys Blds Pendleton

John Cooper 35 coal miner unemployed b. Pendleton

Margaret A 36 weaver (cotton) unemployed b. Darwin

Easther A 1 b. Pendleton

Thomas 4m b. Pendleton

1891 Bromileys Buildings

John Cooper 46 General labourer b. Pendleton

Margaret 47 b. Over Darwen

Esther A 11 b. Pendleton

Thomas 10 b. Pendleton

James 6 b. Pendleton

Ethel 4 b. Pendleton

1901 19 Aldeston? St.

Margaret Cooper 54 widow

Esther Ann 21 winder cotton

Thomas 19 color maker paper mill

James 16 parceller cotton warehouse

Ethel 14

All born Salford

There are too many Cooper families in Salford to guess from the bmd. So looking for a death John Cooper in Salford district 1891-1901 there are too many John Coopers and none of the ages seem to fit but that doesn't mean he isn't one of them?

1911 18 Penelope Rd Pendleton

Ethel Cooper 24 private means b. Pendleton

George Norman Cooper 5 nephew b. Pendleton

Ethel Grundy 25 visitor nurse (domestic) b. Pendlebury

The house had six rooms

George Norman is the son of James and Lillian, there is a tree on Ancestry linked to him - Lawrence family tree which suggests he emigrated to Australia and had family there.

George died in 1965 age 60 Fremantle, Western Australia.

Ethel Cooper may have married Edward E Lees in 1911 at St. Georges (6/131)

1911 59 Stapleton St. Pendleton

James Cooper 26 retired warehouseman b. Pendleton

Lillian Ann 27 b. Pendleton

Lillian 3 b. Pendleton

James 1m. b. Pendleton

They had been married 6 years and had three children all alive.

The house had 4 rooms.

marriage 12 Nov 1904 St John Pendlebury

James Cooper 20 Warehouseman 62 Claremont Rd. (John deceased labourer)

Lilian Ann Roberts 20 25 Stapleton St. (Thomas, collier)

wit. Daniel Lewis and Esther Ann Cooper.

(details from opc site)

1911 24 Elleray Rd. Pendleton

Robert Wood 30 Carter newspaper Co. b. Lower Broughton

Esther Ann 31 b. Pendelton

Hannah Jane 73 widow b. Pendleton

Thomas Cooper 29 brother in law gentleman b. Pendleton

Richard Cooper b. 1842

Richard Cooper married Caroline Howarth at St Mary Eccles (24/262) registered MarQ 1878 Barton.

1881 on ancestry the transcript does not match the image of the census page.

Transcript reads 297 Broad St.

Richard Cooper 38

Caroline 36

William Kay Howarth 17

Bertha Howarth 15

Simeon Howarth 13

Richard Oliver Cooper 1

1891 297 Broad St.

Richard Cooper 48 Publican b. Pendleton

Caroline 46

Bertha 25

Simeon 23

Richard P 11

1901

Caroline Cooper 56

Richard 21 Coach Painter

Bertha Holt 35

Robert Holt 34 Groom (not domestic)

Adelaide E Holt 8

Simeon Holt 7

marriage St John Methodist Salford (A12/2/3)

Richard Oliver Cooper to Kate Smith registered JunQ 1906

1911 The Nook Rossall Beach nr. Fleetwood

Richard O Coofer 31 Private means b. Pendleton

Kate 32 b. Whalley

Annie Smith 34 sister in law b. Whalley

Richard and Kate had been married 4 years and had no children.

The house had five rooms.

Richard's mother Caroline was living in Blackpool.

Possible death for Richard O Cooper MarQ 1945 age 64 Fylde.

Thomas Cooper b 1841

This is my neighbours line.

Thomas Cooper married Alice Booth reg. MarQ 1867 at St. George (1/167)

1871 2 William St.

Thomas Cooper 30 chofter? C born Pendleton

Alice 31 b. Eccles

Edward Booth 7 b. Pendleton

Richard Cooper 3 b. Pendleton

Elizabeth Cooper 2 b. Pendleton

Martha 7m b. Pendleton

1881 2 William St.

Thomas Cooper 40 labourer unemployed b. Salford

Alice 40 b. Eccles

Edward Booth 17 Drawer in cotton mill b. Salford

Richard Cooper 13 Reacher in cotton mill b. Salford

Elizabeth 12 b. Salford

Martha 10 b. Salford

Sarah A 8 b. Salford

Thomas 3 b. Salford

Mary A 2 b. Salford

1891 Strawberry New Road

Thomas Cooper 50 living on own means b. Pendleton

Alice 50 b. Flixton

Richard 23 belt weaver b. Pendleton

Elizabeth 22 cotton weaver b. Pendleton

Martha 20 gen. servant b. Pendleton

Sarah A 18 cotton weaver b. Pendleton

Thomas 13 b. Pendleton

Mary A 12 b. Pendleton

1901 334 Lower Broughton Road

Thomas Cooper 60 living on own means b. Pendleton

Alice 61 b. Eccles

Elizabeth 32 b. Pendleton

Martha 30 b. Pendleton

Mary Alice 22 teacher school b. Pendleton

Cooper Booth grandson 9 b. Pendleton

Dorothy ? 33 hospital nurse b. Ulverston

1911 334 Lower Broughton Road

Thomas Cooper 70 private means b. Salford

Alice 71 b. Eccles

Elizabeth 42 b. Salford

Martha 40 b. Salford

Mary Alice Rowe 32 b. Salford

William Edwin Rowe 38 clerk at Engineers b. Salford

George Cooper Rowe 5 b. Salford

Cooper Booth 19 improver? at Electriacl engineers b. Salford

The house had nine rooms.

Thomas and Alice had been married 45 years. Alice had nine children of whom 3 had died.

Alice possibly died DecQ 1911 age 71 Salford

Thomas possibly died JunQ 1915 age 74 Salford

Probate 1915

Thomas Cooper of 334 Lower Broughton-road Salford died 27 April 1915 to Martha Cooper spinster and William Edwin Rowe manager at an engineering works. £46,247 12s

Probate of son Thomas 1917

Thomas Cooper of 6 Hampden-street Salford died 7 June 1917 to Martha Cooper spinster and William Edwin Rowe manager at an engineering works. £1041 13s.

Probate of son Richard 1924

Richard Cooper of 6 Laburnum-terrace Broughton Salford died 10 Sept 1924 at Royal Infirmary Manchester to Ada Cooper widow. £1175 15s 10d

Probate of daughter Elizabeth 1925

Elizabeth Cooper of 334 Lower Broughton-road Salford, spinster died 25 April 1925 at 45 Woodfield-road Blackpool to Martha Cooper spinster and William Edward Rowe formerly an engineer's manager £12432 5s 4d.

Probate of daughter Martha 1940

Martha Cooper of 334 Lower Broughton Road, spinster died 21 Jan 1940 to William Edwin Rowe retired manager and Cooper Booth electrical instrument maker. £19074 16s 2d

Probate of son in law William 1950

William Edwin Rowe of Lower Broughton road died 1 Dec 1950 to Alice Cooper married woman £1149 12s 11d

Probate of daughter Mary 1962

Mary Alice Rowe of 17 May Road Swinton widow died 21 Jan 1962 at Colwyn Bay Hospital to George Cooper Rowe assistant storekeeper and Alice Cooper (wife of Leslie Cooper)

£14955 10s 6d.

..........................................................................................

My neighbours line

Richard Cooper married Ada Hutchinson 1899 St Paul, Pedleton (5/122)

1901 55 Whit Lane

John Hutchinson 56 widow miner coal hewer b. Manchester

Richard Cooper 33 Beer retailer pub. b. Pendleton

Ada 25 b. Pendleton

Alice 1 b. Pendleton

Margaret Castile 13 domestic serv b. Manchester

1911 38 Whit Lane

Richard Cooper 43 private means b. Pendleton

Ada 35

Alice 11

Elizabeth 9

Thomas 7

Minnie 4

Martha 2

Walter Hutchinson 28 boarder

All born Pendleton.

Richard and Ada had been married for 12 years and had 5 children all living.

Update

Ken visited Agecroft cemetery and the Cooper grave.

From the headstone buried there are

Martha (Pat) 1950

Richard Cooper 1924

and Ada Cooper 1949

Family trees online.

There are several family trees online on Ancestry. Especially good one is The Jensen Family Tree.

Bromiley buildings.

Will come back to this latter.

Richard + Ann family

Richard and Ann christened their children at St Thomas the details are on opc site. Maria's is not online yet.

(married 17 Aug 1840 Eccles)
THOMAS COOPER c. 31 Jan 1841
RICHARD COOPER c. 1 Jan 1843
JOHN COOPER c. 20 April 1845
JAMES COOPER c. 1 Aug 1847
                               buried 20 Sep 1850
GEORGE COOPER c. 23 Sep 1849
JAMES COOPER c. 23 Now 1851
MARY COOPER c. 12 Mar 1854
ELIZABETH COOPER c. 20 Jul 1856
JAMES COOPER c. 22 May 1859*
ANN COOPER c. 28 April 1861
Maria Cooper

all the entries follow the same pattern
child of Richard Cooper and Ann
abode Pendleton
occupation collier

*I think this may have been Joseph rather than James.
Using the Lancashire BMD site there are births registered in the correct year under Salford, Pendleton for all the children above except for 1859 when there is a birth for Joseph Cooper but not a James.
Deaths are not online on this site yet for Salford. But the freebmd site has a death for Joseph Cooper in Salford in 1859.

The Collier/Bromily families.

1871 14 Whit Lane
Ann Cooper 49 widow b. Bolton
Richard 28 collier coal miner b. Pendleton
John 25 collier coal miner b. Pendleton
George 21 stone mason b. Pendleton
James 19 maker up or packer b. Pendleton
Mary 17 cotton weaver b. Pendleton
Elizabeth 14 cotton weaver b. Pendleton
Ann 9 b. Pendleton
Maria 7 b. Pendleton
Mary Bromiley mother widow 70 b. Bolton

possible death for Mary Bromley age 74 Salford MarQ 1875
I have not been able to track down probate for Mary.

1881 36 Whit Lane
Ann Cooper widow 59 b. Harrold Leigh??
George 31 no occupation b. Pendleton
Elizabeth 24 b. Pendleton
Ann 19 cotton weaver b. Pendleton
Maria 17 dress maker b. Pendleton

From probate 1887 Ann Cooper late of Lower Broughton road, widow died 10 Dec 1886 to George Cooper of Lower Broughton road, Gentleman the son £56 16s and 3d.

So sometime between 1881 and 1886 the family moved across the river to Lower Broughton road.
........................................................
MARY was the mother of Ann, it appears she was married to a Thomas Bromiley. So I looked for a marriage.
St. Peter Bolton
17 November 1823
Thomas Bromiley
Mary Collier
(no other information, taken from opc site)

If Ann's age on the census is correct she was born in 1822 before this marriage so she was Thomas's stepdaughter.

Going back to christenings at St Thomas Pendleton there is
28 September 1834 Elizabeth Brammeley
daughter of Thomas and Mary
Pendleton
miner

On the 1841 census there is also a Thomas Bromiley 15 ( so born between 1826-1822) living with the family on Whit Lane.
I think his christening might be an important clue.
From the opc site.
St Anne TOTTINGTON
c. 11 Jul 1824
born 18 Dec 1823
Thomas Bromley son of Thomas and Mary
abode PENDLETON
occupation miner

Who then had the connection to Tottington? I don't know that area at all. But it is some distance from Pendleton. It suggests a pretty strong tie to the area- possibly family still living in that area?
It also lets us know that the Bromiley family were living in Pendleton by 1823. As the coal mine was sunk in the 1820s I expect Thomas came to find work there. Both the names Bromiley and Collier are common.

There was someone else also living with the family Abraham Collier.
St. Anne Tottington
c. 16 Jun 1821
born 28 Nov 1819
Abraham Collier son of Abraham and Lissey
Long Houses
Miner

his parents married at St Peter Bolton 1 April 1816

AND was this Ann's christening?
St. Anne Tottington
c. 21 Sept 1822
born 20 Mar 1822
Ann Collier daughter of Mary Collier
New Hoils
weaver

The problem is that various birthplaces are given on the census for Ann - Bolton and Leigh are separate places but the Leigh might refer to a more local place name and not the parish of Leigh. She might also have been born elsewhere and christened after moving to Tottington. So it is possible that Abraham is a relative just not sure what.

Having looked again at the evidence with that of Abraham Collier I now believe that Ann was born at "Harwood Lee" which is between Bolton and Tottington - found using google map.
.................................................................................
Back to the census can we find out any more clues?
Lets look at son Thomas Bromiley first.

I have only managed to find him in 1861 Whit Lane
Thos. Bromley 37 collier b. Charlestown
Mary Bromley 38 cotton weaver b. Over Hulton

There is a death registered for Thomas Bromiley age 46 in Salford DecQ 1870
There is also a probate entry which I think is his.
1870 Effects under £50
Letters of administration of Thomas Bromley late of Lissadel-street Pendleton Beer retailer died 6 Nov 1870 to Mary Bromley of 29 Lissadel street the widow.

Then there is this extract from The Manchester Guardian Nov 17 1870
Special licensing sessions (Salford Town Hall)
The following beerhouse transfers were allowed :-
Robin Hood, Lissadel-street, from the administratrix of the late Thomas Bromiley to Mary Bromiley

and further down the same page
The following music licences were granted:-
Abraham Collier Royal Oak Whit Lane
(There is a photo online google 209 Royal Oak Whit Lane on Flickr site, it was demolished in the 70s)
...............................................................................
Now what about Abraham Collier?

1851 Whit Lane Miners Row
Abraham Collier 33 coal miner born Bolton
E (this page is badly damaged)

1861 53 Whit Lane
Abraham Collier 42 coal miner b. Torrington (should this be Tottington?)
Elizabeth 40 b. Bolton

1871 55 Whit Lane
Abraham Collier 52 Beerhouse keeper Leigh in Bolton
Elizabeth 50 b Bolton
Richard Isherwood boarder 12 monitor teacher b Pendleton

There is a death registered in Salford for Abraham Collier age 57 in JunQ 1875

I think possibly Abraham Collier married an Elizabeth Roscoe in Chorlton in 1843.

His probate entry is 1875 effects under £450 Abraham Collier late of 55 Whit Lane Beerhouse keeper died 11 May 1875 to James Hookham of Ivy Cottage Urmston Gentleman and James Henry Stringfellow of 32 John St Pendleton Joiner the nephew.
(I think the Stringfellow connection is through Elizabeth Roscoe? another Roscoe married a Stringfellow)

Also Manchester Times May 15 1875
leave was given to transfer licensed victuallers' licenses as follows
Royal Oak, Whit Lane, Pendleton, Abraham Collier to Noah R Stringfellow

Whit Lane

There is still a Whit Lane today but the area was redeveloped.

It lies at the bottom of a hill and is near the River Irwell.

I am not sure about the following but I think the first industrial development was a cotton mill notorious for using child slave labour - the owner of this William Douglas died in 1810 (from information board along River Irwell walk) hence the local name Douglas Green. The coal mine was sunk in the 1820s. St Thomas Church was at the top of the hill, at that time it was a chapel of ease - thats where they went to church, could have their children christened but could not marry there. They had to go to the mother or parish church which was Eccles. Thats about a 50 min walk. Whit Lane in the early 1800s would have been a separate settlement surrounded by countryside. Its about a 40 min walk into Manchester.

As the population of Salford rapidly increased more churches were built. I love the following sites- genuki and the "Lancashire Online Parish Clerk Project" you can find lovely photos of the churches and info. St Thomas was rebuilt 1831 and a more local church St Georges was built on Whit Lane in 1858.

Registers for local churches are available on film at Manchester Library and from their lists it would appear that marriages for St Thomas began in 1839, hmm wonder why they went to Eccles then?

There is a brilliant site being developed with old maps of Manchester/Salford, on some of them you can just about see the Whit lane area (I think the earliest one was the Bartholomew 1870) it gives you an idea of what the area was like. And of course you can see the area today using google maps. The old maps can be found at http://manchester.publicprofiler.org (found through a posting on the rootschat site).

Richard Cooper from Darwen

We have very little information about Richard Cooper.  We know that he married at Eccles in 1840, that he was a coal miner, his father (from marriage) was also called Richard Cooper a farmer and that in 1841 he was living on Whit Lane with his wife's family.

The family are missing from the 1851 census which is not surprising as these records for the area are damaged.

However the 1861 census gives us another clue. (This one is difficult to read)

52 Whit Lane

Richard Cooper 47 collier coal miner born LOWER DARWEN

Ann 39 born Heywood?Lee?* correction pointed out by Ted

Thomas 20 cotton cloth bleacher ? born Charlestown

Richard 18 collier coal ? born Charlestown

John 16 collier coal ? born Charlestown

George 11 cotton cloth bleacher ? born Charlestown

Thomas 9 cotton cloth bleacher ? born Charlestown

Mary 7 born Charlestown

Elizabeth 4 born Charlestown

Mary Bromley lodger widow 60 proprietress of houses ? Harwood ? Ley?*

(*is this Leigh?)

In 1871 Ann is a widow so Richard probably died between 1861 and 1871 possibly one of the deaths registered in Salford in either SepQ 1863 or DecQ 1864.

I have not been able to track down a christening for Richard born sometime between 1810 and 1820, but from previous research about the  Darwen area that too is not surprising - it was an area of dissenters at a time of unrest with people moving about.

As Ted has pointed out the age of Richard does not match to the 1841 census where he is "20", but the common rule in that census is that adults ages were rounded down to the nearest 5 years so that would suggest he was aged between 20 and 24 so if he had said 24 that would make a 3 year difference by 1861. The fact that they gave an exact age for Ann in 1841 also shows variation in how the census was carried out. My feeling about this census is that it was the first time that they had undertaken such a detailed one, how accurate it is depended partly on who the enumerator was - in rural communities he probably knew all the families he was writing about whereas in urban communities they were probably unknown to him. I have read that some of the enumerators were unhappy when they were doing the job because there was more work than they thought and the pay was low so how conscientious an enumerator was must also have played a part. Again too as I understand it the enumerator collected the information from the households then that was copied up - so who gave the information from the household? in this case was it Thomas Bromiley, perhaps he gave the wrong age for Richard, perhaps he guessed. He would have more likely known the exact age of his "daughter". In the 1861 census can we assume that it was Richard himself who was giving the information and that this is more likely to be his age? So all in all there are many errors in census information so a mismatch of some information can be accepted. 

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However, it could be that Richard has a sister.

At that time people from Darwen had to travel to Blackburn to marry in the parish church.

St Mary Blackburn - marriage 12 Apr 1841

William Yates X labourer (father George weaver)

MARIA COOPER X (father RICHARD farmer)

witnesses no help

This Maria was also christened at St Mary Blackburn

19 Feb 1815 Maria Cooper daughter of Richard Cooper and Mary

abode Over Darwen, Farmer

I have not found a marriage between Richard Cooper and Mary.

In 1841 the newlyweds were living in Darwen with

James Cooper 43 labourer

Alice 45

Henry 9 Collier

William 6

William Yates 26 Publican

MARIA YATES 24

What connection is James Cooper?

There is another tie in to this family which suggests to me that Richard Cooper from Whit lane kept in contact with family in the Darwen area - 

Darwen St John marriage 28 Sep 1875

John Cooper 32 collier, bachelor of Pendleton, father Richard collier

Margaret Ann Yates X 32 weaver spinster of Sandhill father William Quarryman

witnesses Amos Bentley and Hester Bentley

so Richard's son married Maria's daughter

Ted has also spotted that this age does not match up with John's age elsewhere, will look at this again later.

1871 Bolton Road, Over Darwen

William Yates 57 widow Quarryman

Alice 26 Cotton weaver

Esther 24 Cotton weaver

George W 23 cotton weaver

Margaret A 29 cotton weaver

Betsy 16 domestic servant

Thomas 14 cotton weaver

George R. 7 grandson

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Now the following is PURE SPECULATION - it is most likely not true but I shall put it on here anyway as one possibility - from Jimmys research I had a possible family 

Richard Cooper 1765-1828

Betty Duxbury 1763-1811

possible children (no marriage has been found )

Thurston Cooper 1783

William Cooper 1785

Betty Cooper 1787

Joseph Cooper 1789

Benjamin Cooper 1789

Betty Cooper 1790

Richard Cooper 1793 - 1822

James Cooper 1798

George Cooper 1804

Joseph Cooper 1809

Could Richard and Maria be the children of Richard Cooper 1793-1822?

Could the James that Maria lived be this Richards brother and so be her uncle?

Cooper family of WHIT LANE

I did some family research for my neighbour some years ago. As the 1911 census has become searchable on Ancestry I decided to see if I could find his mother and trace her family. I followed the family back to 1841 census. This Cooper family has lived in the same area of Salford since that time and image my surprise to find that the instigator of this family in Salford hailed from DARWEN (1861 census) and that his name was RICHARD COOPER. As you can see I have already researched a Cooper family in the Darwen area for our dear friend Jimmy, I stopped that research when a nephew of Jimmys took over the research. I have no proof yet but what a coincidence if my neighbour and Jimmy are related !!!
As usual I have become distracted along the way, the research has broadened out to cover three families which may or may not be related but are connected by the 1841 census - in that they lived on the same road, had the same occupation and two of them witnessed each others marriages. I was interested to see where the families would end up and if they shared a similar outcome. Along the way I discovered a very interesting person George Cooper, but I am also fascinated by the ordinary people and wonder about their lives it is just that there is so little evidence for them. Once again I have been looking at the harsh life of the coal miners, such admiration for these brave souls without whom no industrial revolution would have happened and to my mind have not received the recognition that they deserve. I have also learned a lot more about the local history of Salford, some of which I shall post on my Salford blog I think. But as usual I am left with a lot of unanswered questions.
Please do not take this work as absolute proof of the trees suggested. I readily recognise that I make many mistakes and in particular are prone to making assumptions. I welcome suggestions and am open to changing my mind about things.
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This work is confined to pre 1911 except for reference to WW1 records.
It is mainly based on census info from Ancestry, the brilliant Lancashire opc site, the Gale newspaper site, and of course google.
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The starting point.
1841 Whit Lane
Thomas Blomeley 40 coal miner
Mary   40
Thomas 15
Richard Cooper 20 coal miner
Ann 19
Thomas 5m
Abraham Collier 20 coal miner

same page
(transcribed under Stoughtley)
Thomas Stringfellow 60 labourer
Mary 65
Noah 25 collier
Henry 25 collier
Charles 20 collier.

All were born in Lancashire.

At the moment I do not think the Stringfellow family were related to the Collier, Bromiley or Cooper family however I could be wrong. I think they all worked in the same coal mine. I think Henry Stringfellow and Richard Cooper were friends because they witnessed each others marriages. At that time people in Pendleton had to travel to marry at a parish church, ususally Eccles.

Richard Cooper married on 17 August 1840 at St Mary Eccles Anne Collier, both made their mark and came from Pendleton. His father was given as Richard Cooper farmer and the witness was Henry Stringfellow.

Henry Stringfellow a collier married on 30 January 1843 at St Mary Eccles Eliza Greenhalgh she made her mark and they came from Worsley. His father was Thomas Stringfellow boatman and the witness was Richard Cooper.

The other witnesses at these marriages appear to be church witnesses ie they witnessed a lot of marriages.

How did these two households fare in the years to come?