COOPER FAMILY - OAKHURST FARM

[keelawee]

Anyone able to assist with any information on this family from 1891 Census?

I am a little confused as to the whereabouts of the farm... places mentioned are Alfold/Ockley/Bilinghurst .... unfortunately I am geographically challenged  when it comes to the UK and I cannot seem to get all places on the one map!

Looking for Thomas Arthur COOPER Born Circa 1875 .... also ( although they will not appear on the 1891 census) his wife Beatrice Evelyn COOPER Born 1879 and children William John Born 1914, Ruth Phillipa Born 1915 and Nancy Born ?

Many thanks
Cheers
Jennifer
In OZ

[krisesjoint]

LOL geographically challenged also  cant help with that part ...Re the 91 census not much point giving people who don't exist yet  Can you tell me more about Thomas? do you have him in 1881 with his family?...Sorry no show of finding him without more info ...Cant see anyone apparently listing as born in any of the places you mention....Perhaps I could find him with more info on the family.... Kris 

[Carmela]

Jennifer,
As Kris has already said, a little more information would be nice. With such a common name, a broad search is impossible. I think I have narrowed it down to a county.
Surrey appears to be the only county that contains all three place names, Alford, Billingshurst and Ockley. Note spelling of Billingshurst. Sorry, but I could not do anymore.
 
Merry Christmas,
Carmela

[keelawee]

Hi Kris & Carmela

Thanks for replying .... I guess I was hoping that the address of Oakhurst Farm would be sufficient to find Thomas in 1891 .... more information to light indicates that the farm could be located on the Surrey/Sussex border on Oakhurst Lane.... tis the silly season but I did not expect to find his wife and children in 1891    ... was hoping that someone may have had an interest in this family !

I know very little about Thomas .... other than his name and that they were living at Oakhurst Farm when the children were born ... and that there is a possibility that there is a long connection with the area.

Thanks for looking anyway !!

Cheers
Jennifer

[krisesjoint]

Hi Jennifer  ...Have tried everything I can think of....get nowhere with Billinghurst or Alford but now Ockley I do come up with a family ...no Oakhurst Farm or Oakhurst anything anywhere that I can see but in I entry in 1901 I did see mention of a town Oakwood....LOL ....This family I am referring to does have a son Thomas but he is 10 years younger than you are suggesting  Are you sure about Thomas's age? If you are right then he was around 40 having his eldest child which of course there is nothing wrong with except that I cant find him...LOL...If you  are wrong then I may have something for you....I tried yesterday  to come up with something. If he is about 16 then there are heaps of possibles in Surrey and Sussex but cannot find any that seem to have anything to do with these 3 parishes you have mentioned....assuming that since you have his wifes name etc you prob have certs confirming his age so I wont transcribe anything till I here back from you....no point if you are confident of his age  .....Look forward to hearing from you. Do u have the marriage cert with his fathers name by any chance?  Kris

[Carmela]

Hi Jennifer and Kris,
          I, too did some more hunting. I hate to give up on something like this. I think I have found the farm.
There is a farm, called Oakhurst, located on Fisher Lane,
Chiddingfold, which is quite near Billingshurst and Alfold.
In the 1869 Kelly's Directory, it is listed under Billingshurst, but the farmer is a Francis Botting. I did a bit of trawling around in the 1881 Census and found several Cooper families, living in Fisher Lane, near the farm. I think they may be all related as they are all working in the same trade, making walking sticks and dealing in wood. Unfortunately there is no Thomas among them, but perhaps his parents had moved away
by then. I checked FreeBMD and found only one Thomas Arthur Cooper, born June Q, 1877, Lambeth
1d 436. I tried the 1891 Census, but like Kris, found far too many Coopers and not knowing the exact location,
it looked impossible. Perhaps I'll give it another try.
Anyway, thought I should let you know about the farm
and the Coopers living close to it. Some of these Coopers owned a stick factory, employing 50 men. Does this ring any bells for you, Jennifer? These were the only Coopers that I could find anywhere near Oakhurst Farm, except for an unmarried vicar.
Will try to find out more.
 
Cheers,
Carmela
 
Could not leave it alone. Went back and now have found
a Thomas Cooper, born 1881-82, Chiddingfold. Could this be your man? If you think this could be the one, I can send details. If you send me your e-mail address in a private message, I will send info directly to you.

[krisesjoint]

You Brilliant Girl U Carmela  ...Fancy finding the farm ...amazing  big pat on the back for that one  .....I have been trawling 1891 Chiddingfold now I know where to look...No Oakhurst Farm though lots of names ending in Hurst...No Fisher Lane Either but 2 entries for the Stick Factory...Both Coombe Lane and at 1 is a Thomas age 9  Will transcribe it!! Kris 

PS I trawled 71 also and could not find Oakhurst Farm there either 

[krisesjoint]

RG12/571 ED 14 Folio 178 Page 17
Stick Factory
Coombe Lane
Chillingfold Surrey

COOPER Thomas Head 42 Widow b Chillingfold Walking Stick Manufacturer
COOPER Henry Son 16 Unm b Chillingfold Stick Maker
COOPER Lilly Dau 14 b Chillingfold Scholar
COOPER Ernest Son 12 b Chillingfold Scholar
COOPER Thomas Son 9 b Chillingfold Scholar
COOPER Archibald Son 6 b Chillingfold Scholar
BEAUCHAMP Sarah Servant Widow 44 b Wisborough Green Surrey Housekeeper

and next door

COOPER John Samuel Head 35 Mar b Chillingfold Walking Stick Manufacturer
COOPER Alice Helen Wife 30 Mar b Worth Sussex
COOPER John Son 6 b Chillingfold
COOPER Alice Ruth Dau 4 b Chillingfold
COOPER Hilda Florence Dau 2 b Chillingfold
COOPER Dapne Eliz Dau 7 Months b Chillingfold
DURRANT Alice Servant 15 Unm b Kirdford Sussex General Servant Domestic

Cheers Kris 

[keelawee]

Kris and Carmela
You are both wonderful ladies!
And I thank you for the extra effort that you have gone to trying to locate my Thomas........ but as I mentioned I know virtually nothing about him .... no marriage certificate (have not been able to locate their marriage anywhere!!! .... not for lack of trying I can tell you  )

Thomas being born circa 1875 was only a guess, he looks a couple of years older than his wife Beatrice in photos and she was born Bedford 1879.

I think I will have to put this on hold until such time as I locate some more info on him !!!

Apparently the farm is just west of Alfold Bars ... on Oakhurst Lane I have been told by a lady from Ockley and another lister has told me that Alfold (both counties) is in Hambledon PLU ... can either of you confirm this for me?

I think my best chance is to try and find the births of the two eldest children William John 4th August 1914, and Ruth Phillipa July 1915  ... hopefully then I can glean a little more information on the elusive Thomas.

Again many thanks
cheers
Jennifer