1841 Census Kent - Cooper family

[Nadine S]

Hello,

could someone please help me find my Cooper family.

I am searching for WILLIAM COOPER on the 1841 census.
He was born about 1822 in BARMING (now a subdistrict of MAIDSTONE) in Kent and went on to be a policeman in Dover/Folkestone.

I think he may have been son of THOMAS and MARY COOPER, possibly of North Street, Barming, a grocer. Their other children, all born in Barming, were:
Elizabeth b. 1821
Mary b. 1826
Thomas b. 1827
John b. 1829
George b. 1831
Charles b. 1834

I would be really grateful for any help in this. Many thanks
Nadine

[carol_cholsey]

Hi Nadine,

WELCOME TO ROOTSCHAT 

I'm afraid I can't find William in Barming on the 1841 census, here is the entry for Thomas and Mary:
ref HO107 456-06 folio 7 page 5: North Street, Barming
Thomas Cooper age 45 ag lab
Mary do age 40
Mary do age 16
Thomas do age 14
John do age 12
George do age 10
Charles do age 7
all born in county

Maybe William had already left home to start his police training. Is he in Dover/Folkestone in 1851, if so please post details from the census, and we can check that area in 1841.
xx Carol

[Nadine S]

Hi Carol,

thanks very much for your reply, and already helpful in that Thomas Cooper is an ag lab in 1841, and described as a labourer on son William's marriage certificate in 1843.

William married Elizabeth Marsh Wills in 1843 in Folkestone, unfortunately the address given is just "town of Folkestone"

On a daughter's birth cert of 1846, the address is (difficult to read) "Finnis's Hill", St. Mary's Parish, Dover.

In 1851 William, aged 28 (pos.), a police officer, was living with his wife and 3 children in Caple le Ferne, Warren 5.
Unfortunately William had died before the 1861 census. The family were living in Dover Street, Folkestone, by then (his wife came from there).

Hope you can sort something from that! I really appreciate your help - thanks very much indeed,
all the best
Nadine

[carol_cholsey]

Hi Nadine,
Have been through the 1841 census for Folkestone, I've had no luck finding William for you, but this may be Elizabeth and family.
ref HO107 477-28 folio 9 page 10: Fancy Street, Folkestone
William Wills age 41 mariner
Elizabeth do age 40
Elizabeth do age 17
Mary do age 15
Eleanor do age 7
Richard do age 5
Harriett do age 1
(census shows them as all being born in county).

and on the 1851 census:
ref HO107 1633b folio 180 page 18: Dover Street, Folkestone
William Wills head mar age 51 mariner born Folkestone
Elizabeth Jane Wills wife mar age 50 born do
John do son age 19 carpenter born do
Eleanor do dau age 17 born do
Richard do son age 15 born do
Harriett Wills dau age 11 scholar born do
Mary Ann Bennett lodger mar age 24 mariners wife born Ightham
xx Carol 

[carol_cholsey]

Hi Nadine,
No luck in finding William in the Finnis Hill area of Dover (piece 494-10), I'm afraid. I was wondering what he gave as his occupation on his marriage certificate in 1843 and his daughters birth certificate in 1846. Was he already a policeman by then ? If I've found the correct family for Elizabeth, and her father was a mariner, then maybe William was also working on the ships before his marriage.
Sorry I can't help any more on this.
xx Carol

[Nadine S]

Dear Carol,

thanks very much for taking such time and trouble.
Yes, the William Wills family are indeed "my" family - thanks for supplying all the information.

On all the documents I have, marriage cert., birth cert of his daughter and knowledge passed on through the generations, William Cooper was one of the first policemen - employed I think by the railways (on one cert. he is a constable on the roads, railways - living in Dover in 1846).
As he seems to have died young I don't have too much information on him (he's my gt gt grandfather).
Just on the 1851 census he gives his birthplace as Barming, which led me to Thomas Cooper.

So thanks again for all your help, very appreciated,
all the very best
Nadine

[casalguidi]

Sorry but I couldn't find him in 1841 for certain either

Casalguidi

[Nadine S]

Hi,

thanks very much for still looking for my elusive William Cooper. Shame we can't find him.
All the best
Nadine
 

[casalguidi]

Yes, perhaps he was at work

Casalguidi