Rectory Lane Cemetery, Berkhamsted

THOMAS COOPER: 1839 -1908

Thomas was born in Redbourn in the first three months of the year 1839. His father, James Cooper, was a costermonger[1] and his mother was Elizabeth Cooper, née Simons. Thomas was the first child born to James and Elizabeth and he was followed by Samuel, born in 1842 and Ann in 1843.

Thomas’ mother died in 1848 when Thomas was only nine years old. His father, James, married again in 1852. His second wife was Ann Tole and in fact Ann and James had a daughter, Henrietta, born in 1850. At the time of the 1851 census  James and Ann, together with Thomas, his sister and half-sister Henrietta, were living in Leverstock Green. James was no longer a costermonger but was working as an agricultural labourer. Ann is described in the census return as his wife, although they did not in fact marry until 1852.

Thomas married at the age of 20 years in 1859. He married Charlotte Puddephatt whose family lived in Ashley Green. The wedding was registered in St Albans. It is not apparent how Thomas and Charlotte met. But it might be the case that Charlotte had left her family home and was working near to Thomas as a domestic servant. Charlotte gave birth to the couple’s first child Arthur, a year after the wedding in 1860 and she went on to give birth to nine children in all[2].

By 1861 Thomas, Charlotte and 11 months old baby Arthur had moved to Chesham Vale, close to Ashley Green where Charlotte’s family lived. Thomas, like his father, worked as an agricultural labourer.[3] Ten years later, the growing family had moved to Hog Lane, Ashley Green. The family were still living in Hog Lane at the time of the 1881 and 1891 censuses, although Thomas was absent from home at the time the 1891 census was taken.

Charlotte died in January 1900. At some point between 1891 and Charlotte’s death in 1900 Thomas and his family had moved to Victoria Road, Berkhamsted, at which address Charlotte died.[4] Thomas was still living in Victoria Road in 1901. The census  reveals that he was living in the home of his daughter, Elizabeth, and her husband, Thomas Lawless and their children.

Thomas died in August 1908. He did not die in Victoria Road as Charlotte had, but rather in the Berkhamsted Union workhouse. This does not necessarily mean he had fallen on hard times and become a pauper as he may have been admitted for medical care. Originally workhouse infirmaries were intended solely for the care of residents in the workhouse, but towards the latter part of the 19^th century the standard of care provided improved and from the 1880’s admission to workhouse infirmaries was increasingly permitted to those who although poor, were not sufficiently destitute to require admission to the workhouse. Like all recipients of union relief, they first needed to have their means assessed and might be required to contribute towards their care. The workhouse medical service marked the beginning of a state funded medical service