Stephen Cooper
Newspaper Article
Northumberland Fusiliers Badge
Derek Johnstone has provided the following:
Stephen Cooper was born in 1888 at Newcastle-on-Tyne to parents James and Jane Barbara Cooper, who were both from the same location. In the 1891 Census Stephen is shown to be three years old and living with his parents at Westgate, Northumberland with siblings Margaret, 5, and Jane aged 1.
The 1901 Census misspells the family name as Essper, corrected to Cooper. Stephen was 13 years old at this time and employed as a trace horse boy. His father James’s occupation is shown as a coach body maker. The family address was still Westgate and siblings Margaret, 15, Annie, 7 and Elizabeth aged 5 are also in the household.
Stephen is not shown in the 1911 Census when he would have been 23. It’s possible he could have been in India with 1st Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers at that time. Military records show Stephen enlisted at Newcastle-on-Tyne and on death at La Bassee his effects, amounting to 12 shillings, went to his widow Lavinia. The Pension Index Card for Stephen shows Lavinia Cooper nee Walker and one child, Cecil.
Information from the included newspaper cutting shows Stephen's wife was living at 166, Mowbray Street, Heaton when she was informed of his death. Stephen was about to be promoted to full rank of Lance Coropral when he was killed. Years earlier he had been wounded in India and was also wounded twice in the current conflict. Prior to enlisting he was employed as a tramway motor man with Newcastle Corporation. Stephen had only been married for about 11 months when he died. The 1st Battalion were in Bombay India when Stephen would have been 24 which is probably when he was wounded.
He has yet to be identified on a local War Memorial.
