Rectory Lane Cemetery, Berkhamsted

Kathleen “Kitty” Cooper : 1902 – 1996

Kathleen (‘Kitty’) Duncan Cooper was born Kathleen Duncan Knight in 1902 in Clapton in London. She died in Berkhamsted in 1996. Her parents were William E. D. Knight (known in the family as Wednesday Knight – because of his initials WED) (1871-1957) and Edith Worsfold (1869-1969). The Knight family had made its money through the manufacture of soap (Knights Castille soap is still available) – appropriate for Victorian society and the growing interest in cleanliness. Kitty’s parents had a large house in Sussex, but sold up to move to Kenya where they bought a farm. Kitty met Edward Andreas Priestland (known as Andreas) in Kenya and became engaged to be married. She travelled back to England to meet his family, including his sister Lady Alice Cooper (who had married Sir Richard Cooper) and her three sons William, Richard Philip (known as Philip) and Frank, before marrying Andreas. During her visit, Philip Cooper fell in love with Kitty, but could not say anything as she was engaged to his uncle.

Kitty and Andreas were married in Nairobi in 1922 and lived in Kenya, also on a farm, for just under four years before Andreas died in 1926 of a burst appendix, leaving Kitty with one small daughter (Barbara, my mother) and a baby girl on the way (my aunt Sheila). Unable to remain on the farm in Kenya, Lady Cooper arranged for her to return to the UK, where she was found employment as a housekeeper for her son Philip. Finally, after a few years, Philip summoned up the courage to propose and they were married in 1951.