Liverpool & South West Lancashire FHS - Forum

I live in Essex and a member of the East of London FHS and have just become a member of the Liverpool & South West Lancashire FHS in the hope that a member might be searching for the same family as myself. I am currently looking into my husbands family history James Cooper born in Edinborough 1810 married to Margaret (nee Welsh) born in Ireland 1823. The family lived in and around Liverpool during these years.
In the 1861 Census he is recorded as a Hairdresser but from 1871 -1901 he is recorded as an Umbrella Maker. In 1881 Census he is an Umbrella Maker Manufacturer, his son James Robert Cooper was also an Umbrella Maker, he was my husbands Great Grandfather. In the 1901 Census James is retired and it appears that his two Spinster daughters Elizabeth and Margaretta took over the business, Elizabeth as an Employer and Margaretta as Assistant.
In particular I would like to learn more about the business and if James really was a Manufacturer of Umbrellas and what happened to it in later years. My father in law all ways maintained that the family made walking sticks however I have not found anything that confirms this, perhaps they made both.
Unfortunately it's a little to far to go to attend your monthly meetings but I would love to hear from anyone who might think they have a connection with the same family I am researching or if anyone could advise me where I might find the information I am seeking. Many Thanks. Val.

Hi Val and welcome to the Northwest!

Can you confirm this is James senior's death?
Death: JAMES COOPER
Birth year: 1809
Age: 95
Death year/quarter: 1904 / Sep
District: LIVERPOOL; Volume: 8B; Page: 104

And have you found a will?

Hi and welcome to both the Society and the forum.

I imagine the manufacture of walking sticks and umbrellas would go hand in hand but I will have a check of some of the directories I have to see if I can find any advertisements.

Have you also tried the online directories available to see if there is any mention there? http://specialcollections.le.ac.uk/cdm/ ... 16445coll4

For the crew...

In 1910+1 the son James Robert is here...
Address: 7 Fingland Road, Wavertree, Liverpool.
James Robert Cooper Head 48 1863 Umbrella Maker - Liverpool
Martha Ellen Cooper Wife 46 1865 - Liverpool
Doris Cooper Dtr 7 1904 - Liverpool
Kenneth Cooper Son 4 1907 - Liverpool

According to the census he is a 'worker' not a 'proprietor' or 'owner' which indicates he was working for someone else and possibly not the Cooper name.

James Robert Cooper appears to be working for someone else in 1901....

1901: RG13 Piece 3504 Folio 109 Page 37
Address: 7 Fingland Road, Wavertree, Liverpool.
James R Cooper Head 38 1863 Umbrella Maker [worker] Liverpool
Martha E Cooper Wife 36 1865 - Liverpool
Thomas H Cooper Son 16 1885 - Liverpool
Elsie Cooper Dtr 15 1886 - Liverpool
James S Cooper Son 12 1889 - Liverpool
Jessie Cooper Dtr 11 1890 - Liverpool
Winifred Cooper Dtr 6 1895 - Liverpool

I wonder if James Robert is working for his sisters Elizabeth and Margaretta? Odd the father should not leave the business to his son...

1910+1:
Address: 9 Leece Street, Liverpool.
Elizabeth Cooper Head u/m 60 1851 Umbrella Maker - Liverpool
Margaretta Cooper Sister u/m 53 1858 Assisting in the business - Liverpool

Elizabeth is listed as a 'dealer' and employer.

If this is Elizabeth's death....
ELIZABETH COOPER
Birth year: 1851
Age: 77
Death year/quarter: 1928 / Sep
District: LIVERPOOL; Volume: 8B; Page: 57

Had she retired from the business or otherwise disposed of it prior to her death? I feel it is likely she left a will which might shed light.

I think this is brother James Robert's death in 1951...
JAMES R COOPER
Birth year: 1863
Age: 88
Death year/quarter: 1951 / Jan
District: LIVERPOOL SOUTH; Volume: 10D; Page: 1172

Liverpool Mercury, 22 February 1856, along with hundreds of others, a James Cooper put his name to the following

1870 directory,

Leece St being the 1861 census address,

1860 Directory,

Cooper,

Properties at Paradise St & King St also?

Bertieone wrote:1870 directory,
9 Leece St being the 1861 census address,

And his two daughters were still at that same address in 1911! Obviously a well-established firm.

The James Cooper, umbrella maker, Newspaper snippet and 1860 directory is.

James Cooper, 1791, Salford
Frances Cooper, 1798, Ireland,
Family,

1861, RG9 P2672 F83 P11, King street.
1841, HO107 P562 Book9, Paradise St.

Not sure if there's any relationship to James Cooper, hairdresser, 1860, Leece St.

Thanks Bert, after being computerless for much of yesterday I have discovered just how much you have filled in.

MaryA wrote:Thanks Bert, after being computerless for much of yesterday

It never rains but it pours

I am overwhelmed at the response I have received since my request for information on James Cooper in such a short time. It will take me a little time to look through it all. As a new member I am still finding my way around your site and at the moment do not know how to reply to each individual who has been kind enough to help, so I hope all those people will see this email. Thank you I am very grateful. Val :

You're doing fine Val and I hope we see a lot more of you on the Forum.

cooper+12345 wrote:As a new member I am still finding my way around your site and at the moment do not know how to reply to each individual who has been kind enough to help, so I hope all those people will see this email. Thank you I am very grateful. Val :

Hi Val,
Everyone who has contributed so far will have their 'personal profile' set to receive email notifications of any posts to your topic. So your post from which I have taken your quote will be notified to everyone who has helped.

Should you wish to contact an individual poster you can use the PM [Private Message] button located at the bottom left of the message window next to the Profile button.

Hi DS, Thank you for your help. I am pretty sure that the information you have referring to James Coopers Death is what I have, although all the Census give his birth date as 1810. I haven't sent for his Death Certificate yet as I wanted to be sure I had the right James first but think I will take a chance and send for it any way. I haven't looked for his Will yet, so many things to look at. I only started looking at my husbands side of the family after Christmas but had a good start as we were lucky enough to have some information already. I haven't sifted through all the other information you sent me, but I will as soon as I can. By the way James Wife Margaret was born in Wexford Ireland, did I see that you live there?

Almost an aside.....
The daughter Elizabeth has her YoB consistently as abt 1851 but the only registration for that year [+/- 1] in Liverpool is this one.... Births Mar 1851: Cooper, Elizabeth - W Derby 20 1201

However, according to the 1851 census her parents are Richard and Elizabeth Cooper [HO107 Piece 2190 Folio 397 Page 41], not James and Margaret Cooper. So I believe this to be the Elizabeth...
Births Dec 1853: COOPER, Elizabeth - Liverpool 8b 177

And this is the only 'fit' for her sister 'Margaretta', 1856 - 1860....
Births Dec 1858: Cooper, Margaret - W Derby 8b 264

cooper+12345 wrote:Hi DS, Thank you for your help. I am pretty sure that the information you have referring to James Coopers Death is what I have, although all the Census give his birth date as 1810. By the way James Wife Margaret was born in Wexford, Ireland, did I see that you live there?

That 1810 YoB is calculated from the age of the deceased given by the informant to the Registrar. Often a best guesstimate, and out by a couple of years.

And yes, while born in the Pool many moons ago I am now living in north County Wexford! My Irish roots are in Co Clare. But there are other folk on this forum with very strong Wexford connections.....