COPE Mansfield

[Val Goddard]

Arthur Martin Cope married Elizabeth Quinton on 22 Oct 1894 at parish church of Mansfield. He was 23 and a butcher from Belvidere (name of a road), she aged 22 from Cromwell Street.

Arthur’s father was Thomas Cope a butcher. I have the marriage certificate.

In the 1901 census Arthur (29) and Elizabeth were at 42 Belvedere St, Mansfield, a butcher with his own account working at home. They had one son Thomas Martin Cope aged 3. Arthur was born in Mansfield.

Martin is believed to be a family name.

Arthur died June 1927 at 105 Stockwell gate, Mansfield aged 55, a butcher of 61 Bowling St, Mansfield.

Months of research left me unable to find

Arthur’s birth

Arthur on censuses, 1881, 1891

Thomas (butcher) on censuses
.

[Val Goddard]

The only Arthur Cope anyone could find on the 1881 census was

Joseph Denby, Head, 44, Frame work knitter, Mansfield

Mary Denby, Wife, 33,Selston

Annie Denby, Daur, 16, Mill Hand, Mansfield

Emma Cope, Daur, 12, Mill Hand, Mansfield

Joseph Cope, Son, 11, Scholar, Mansfield

Arthur Cope, Son, 9, Scholar, Mansfield

Hannah Denby, Daur, 3, Mansfield

Emma Cope, Daur, 12, Mill Hand, Mansfield

Joseph Cope, Son, 11, Scholar, Mansfield

Arthur Cope, Son, 9, Scholar, Mansfield

Hannah Denby, Daur, 3, Mansfield

John J Denby, Son, 1, Mansfield



They were living at 9 Wheatsheaf Yard, Mansfield which appears to have been off Stockwell Gate (where Arthur died).

[Val Goddard]

As Arthur’s marriage certificate had indicated father “Thomas Cope, butcher”, I did not pursue the above census return until recently. It appears, from the names and ages of children to be a second marriage. I have found the marriage of John Denby to Mary Cope (both widowed) at Kirkby in Ashfield, Notts. Mary’s father is John Martin from which (I assume) the family name of Martin comes from.



Searching the 1871 census now for Mary Cope and children Emma and Joseph I find living at 9 Wheatsheaf Yard

Thomas Coupe, Head, 24, Potato Roaster, Mansfield

Mary Coupe, Wife, 23, Selston

Emma, Daur, 3, Mansfield

Joseph, Son, 1, MansfieldThomas Coupe, Head, 24, Potato Roaster, Mansfield

Mary Coupe, Wife, 23, Selston

Emma, Daur, 3, Mansfield

Joseph, Son, 1, Mansfield

Only problem – Thomas is a potato roaster, not a butcher.

[Val Goddard]

Thomas Cope did indeed die in July 1874 at Wheatsheaf Yard. He was 27 years old, a potato dealer and died of phenitis (meningitis). The death was notified by a Joseph Cope from Lowdham St, Snenton, Notts.



So I was 99.9% certain I have the right people. The places all tie up, as do the ages, just the fly in the ointment – when Arthur got married in 1894, 20 years after his father’s death, his father was not recorded as deceased (I know this does happen), but also the occupation is butcher rather than potato dealer/roaster.



However I still cannot find Arthur’s birth, nor can I find a marriage of Thomas Cope to Mary Martin. Neither can I find Arthur Cope aged 19 on the 1891 census, although I have found the rest of the Denby family after much searching as they have been mistranscribed as Dauby.

[Val Goddard]

I posted No 5 last night but it seems to have disappeared......

Having only last week received the death certificate of Thomas Cope, and discovering the informant Joseph Cope I looked him up on the 1871 census. Sure enough there he is in Lowdham St, Snenton aged 52, with wife, 2 children aged 15 and 11, and then a son, Thomas Cope, aged 24 , married, …….a pork butcher (unemployed). But I already have my Thomas Cope married to Mary (nee Martin = family name) in the 1871 census who later dies. Were there 2 Thomas Copes? Have I been following the wrong family even though so many facts tied up? I can’t find any Thomas Copes getting married.

Help please – this is doing my head in. Anyone got the 1861 census that might throw some light on all this.

[Christine]

Val,

I'm a little bit lost but have looked on the 1861 Census for Thomas Cope in Snenton. He wasn't there! If your Thomas was a butcher then you must forget the potato man. He wouldn't change trades, especially if his son was also a butcher as he could have worked for his son when he got too old to run his own business. Can you give me what information you have on Thomas and I'll carry on looking for him. Where did he die?
Regards, Christine

PS I've searched Sutton in Ashfield and Mansfield without any success. There are 94 pages in the 1861 with Copes! I'll search the places you give me but can't look them all up.

[Val Goddard]

The only hard facts I have are from Arthur's marriage certificate. He is a butcher from "belvidere" and his father was Thomas Cope - Butcher. This was October 22 1894 , marriage at parish church Mansfield. (married Elizabeth Quinton). Son Thomas was born 2/12/1897 at 13 Belvidere St, Mansfield, Arthur was Master Butcher. They were then at 42 Belvidere st in 1901 census - butcher own account working at home.
However I cannot get anything EARLIER - not Arthur's birth, nor census entries for him or Thomas Snr other than those quoted in my 5 epistles.
Grateful for any help you can give

[Christine]

Hi Val,

I'm hoping to turn your unhappy smiley to a happier one.
Thomas Martin Cope born on 2/12/1897 was baptised on 07/06/1898 at St Marks Mansfield. His brother Arthur Martin was baptised on 23/07/1895 at St Peters and the family were living at 13 Belvidere at that time (info from NFHS CD)

(In 1901 when the family was at 42 Belvidere my GGrandparents had their shop and lived at N°50 and I lived a stone's throw away for my first 17 years)

I'm still digging...

[Val Goddard]

Thought you were on to something there, but these are the next generation. The Thomas you have born and baptised is my husband's grandfather and I have his info already. I have his brother Arthur Martin born in 1908 but I'm not sure where that came from. Either I have it wrong, or one child died and another was given the same name.

It is the previous 2 generations that I am battling with.

Any other information gladly received

Val

[Christine]

I've searched the 1861 without success but for your records this is what I've looked at:
Cope, Coup, Coupe, Cowpe, Coop and Coope in Sneinton, Sutton in Ashfield and Mansfield.

Regards, Christine