Thomas Cooper, Dublin, Engraver, Born around 1809ish

[Funky Phantom]

I have traced the maternal side of my family to a Thomas Cooper. It would seem that he moved to London as a result of the famine. Census returns have him down as coming from Dublin and that his trade was an engraver. I am told there are Dublin trade directories from the period and he is listed as having a business there before coming to London.

London Census returns have him down as being born 1808/1811. He was married to Amelia (Known as Annie). They had one child called Mary Jane born in Dublin in 1846 - There next child as far as I can tell was Alfred who was born in London in 1849.

I do not know very much about how to trace my ancestors back in Ireland and would really welcome any info/advice about Thomas

Many thanks

Will 

[shanew147]

do you know Amelia's maiden name from the birth cert for Alfred ?


Shane

[shanew147]

two directory entries that could fit :

Pettigrew & Oulton 1843

  Thomas Cooper, 40 Mary street , engraver & cooper plate printer
   
   the street listing in this directory show the address is shared with a
   Mr. Roger Cooper (no trade or occupation included)

Thom's 1848

  Thomas Cooper, 59 Grafton St - engraver & lithogr.
    listed in the trades index as 'engraver, stationer, and fancy wafer maker'

no sign of him operating a business at either address in either 1834 or 1850



Shane

[shanew147]

....
It would seem that he moved to London as a result of the famine. Census returns have him down as coming from Dublin
.....

People moved for various reasons around this time e.g. business opportunities, employment prospects, following other family - not just due to the famine. Dublin city and the mid-east coast was not hit as hard as regions in the south and west of Ireland

since you have an exact year for Mary Ann's birth I presume you've already seen her baptism on www.irishgenealogy.ie ?

p.s. on the same site there's also a baptism of a brother Mary Ann - Henry born 9 Jan 1845


Shane

[Hackstaple]

The list of London lithographers up to 1851 does not include the name Cooper.
A T.S. Cooper did several engravings for the Life of Byron published in 1838 by the brothers E & F Finden, themselves noted plate engravers. However. at least one of the engravings in that book is recorded as done by L.S. Cooper.

The Findens did have little jokes like that and in their plate book The Harbours and Watering Places of Great Britain, they did several engravings themselves but recorded as done by E. Francis.

[Hackstaple]

His Fleet Street address in 1851 may show he worked with newspapers or weeklies. From about 1846 or so magazines like the London Illustrated News and the Graphic had a huge amount of work for engravers.

[Funky Phantom]

do you know Amelia's maiden name from the birth cert for Alfred ?


Shane

Hello Shane,

I have got Amelia's name from the London Census and do not have a maiden name unfortunately. I do not know how to find out about Irish Marriage records.

I will see if I can find Alfred's birth certificate on BMD - thank you for the leads!

Will

[shanew147]

It looks like the marriage was before the start of registration for non-Catholic marriages (1845) - so parish records would be required. Full BMD registration started in 1864 - see : Introduction to Irish Records

If they married in Dublin City they may be included in the IrishGenealogy website mentioned earlier.

Knowing Amelia's maiden might make the search a bit more focused.. and also confirm, or rule out, any matches found.



Shane

[Funky Phantom]

two directory entries that could fit :

Pettigrew & Oulton 1843

  Thomas Cooper, 40 Mary street , engraver & cooper plate printer
   
   the street listing in this directory show the address is shared with a
   Mr. Roger Cooper (no trade or occupation included)

Thom's 1848

  Thomas Cooper, 59 Grafton St - engraver & lithogr.
    listed in the trades index as 'engraver, stationer, and fancy wafer maker'

no sign of him operating a business at either address in either 1834 or 1850



Shane

Thanks again Shane,

I think this is one and the same Thomas. Thats very interesting about Roger Cooper - I wonder who he might be?

Fancy Wafer Maker? The mind boggles!

Best wishes

Will