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?
Sunday, 17 June 2012
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