Charles Radcliffe Cooper and family

Jubilee House

Charles Radliffe Cooper was born Scholing, near Southampton in December quarter 1854.   He started working on the railways in 1869 at the age of 15.  We understand that he was a booking and telegraph clerk based at Netley near Southampton.

By 1871 and at the age of 16, Charles had already left home.  He was working as a railway clerk, lodging in Itchen Abbas, near Winchester.   In November 1872 he joined the Midland Railway Company at Woodville in Derbyshire and moved to Woodville Junction in 1874.  In 1876 Charles married Emma Newbold who was born in Woodville, Derbyshire about 1858.  The marriage was registered at Burton.  In 1876 he was also appointed station master at Wichnor Junction and then took charge of two stations, Crossall and Wichnor Junction.  

The 1881 census shows Charles living at Croxall near Tamworth in Staffordshire.  Living with him was Emma and  their children: Phillip John P. born in 1877 in Woodville, Derbyshire, Lois Hedgland born in 1879 in Oakley, Staffordshire and Mabel Grace also born in Oakley in 1881.  Later in 1881 he was appointed station master at Grimston in Leicestershire.

Charles seems to have moved the family during the 1880's.  He and Emma had three children, Emma Elizabeth born in 1882, Charles Newbold born in 1885, Horace Laurence born in 1888, all born in Saxilbye, near Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire. Finally in February 1888 Charles was moved to Thornbury and was to remain as stationmaster there for 33 years.

By 1891, Charles had moved again, this time to Thornbury.  He was living with the family at Upper Bath Road.  They now had 7 children including Harold Egbert Collins born in Thornbury in on 15th January 1890.

We understand that Charles replaced James Brant to become the second  stationmaster in Thornbury about 1889.  By 1901 the family were living in the Station Master's House.  Lois was a dressmaker, Mabel Grace had become a school teacher and Charles had become an apprentice carpenter.  Phillip was away in Worcester were he was working as a railway clerk.  The photograph on the left shows Charles with his son Phillip. The photograph below shows the same two men in later life.

Lois Hedgland married George William Symes, the son of Gilbert Symes, the local ironmonger in October 1904.   Click here to read more about the Symes family

Emma Elizabeth died 8th December 1910 aged 28 years.

We understand Charles retired as stationmaster in March 1921 after 52 years of railway service.  At some time in the 1930's Charles moved to Jubilee House in Gillingstool.  His wife, Emma had died on 21st October 1926.  He was living in Jubilee House with his son, Phillip who had taken over as stationmaster from him, and his unmarried daughter, Mabel Grace. 

Charles died on 25th April 1945 at the age of 90 years and was buried in Thornbury Cemetery.  The 1950 Electoral Register shows the house was then occupied by three of Charles's children: Mabel Grace, Phillip John and Harold Egbert.

Phillip Cooper entered the railway service in 1892 as a clerk under his father.  In 1894 he went to work in Montpelier in Bristol and then to Leicester, and Worcester (around 1901) and then Cheltenham.  While at Cheltenham he served with the forces during the First World War.  He took over as stationmaster at Thornbury from his father who retired in 1921 and carried on in that capacity until 1937 when he too retired.  Phillip died on 24th March 1950 aged 72 years.  His grave stone in Thornbury Cemetery refers to the fact that he was a "serving brother of St John of Jerusalem".  This is a charitable organisation with an ancient tradition of helping the sick and the poor.   We would now recognise it as St John's Ambulance.  Phillip joined the order in 1943 having first attended a St John's first aid class as far back as 1906.  It was not until he came back to Thornbury as station master in 1921 that he took up first aid work seriously.  He organised first aid classes and in the Second World War was appointed First Aid Commandant and later ran first aid courses at the Police Training School at Eastwood Park.  Phillip was also very active in the local British Legion and he was responsible for organising the yearly Poppy Day collections.

Harold died on 21st February 1951 aged 61 years.  Mabel carried on living there until the town's re-development in the late 1960's when she was forced to sell the house under a compulsory purchase order.  She was well into her 80's by that  time.  We don't know where she moved to live, but she died 27th March 1970 aged 88 years.

This page was last updated: 19/04/2010