Albert Henry Cope

Albert Henry was the younger son of Samuel and Elizabeth Cope. Samuel was born in Nottingham in about 1855 while his wife was born in Radnorshire, Wales, in about 1853. They had two sons, Arthur Samuel and Albert Henry (b. 6 May 1885). Both boys were born in Calais, France; their father was a 'lace maker machine' and presumably spent some years in Calais which had developed its own lace manufacturing industry which attracted many skilled workers from Nottingham. However, by 1901 Samuel (47) and Elizabeth (48) were living at 4 Forest Terrace, Alfreton Road, in the ecclesiastical parish of All Saints. Arthur (18) was, like his father, a 'lace maker machine' and Albert (15) was a trainee lace draughtsman. Also in the household was a widow, Mary A Cope (68), who was described as Samuel's relative; she worked from home in the lace trade. Samuel died three years later in 1904 (J/F/M Nottingham) at the age of 49 and by the time of the 1911 Census his widow was living at 17 Alfred Street, Nottingham, with her son Arthur (28) who was working as a curtain twist hand. Albert meanwhile had married Violet Lydia Graham in 1904 (O/N/D Nottingham). Violet was the eldest child of Ellen S Graham who in 1901 was living with her five children at 4 Cathcart Street, St Ann's, in the household of Joseph A Annable (40, b. Birkenhead), a joiner-carpenter. Joseph was married but his wife was not in the household and Ellen Graham (39, b. Nottingham) a single woman who worked as a lace hand and her children - Violet Lydia Graham (18, b. 1882 J/A/S Nottingham) a lace hand, May Graham (16) an apprentice in the cigar trade, Betsy Graham (13), Dora A [Annable] Graham (1) and Donald A [Annable] Graham (10 weeks) - were described on the census as 'boarders'. Another child, Joseph Ambrose Annable, was born on 6 March 1905 (J/F/M Nottingham). In 1911 Albert (25), a Leivers lace draughtsman, and Violet (28) were living at 25 Edwin Street, St Ann's Well Road, with their daughter, Elizabeth (6 months, b. 1910, O/N/D Nottingham). Albert and Violet had had four children of whom only Elizabeth survived. Also in the household on the night of the census were Dora Annable [Graham] (11, b. 1899 A/M/J Nottingham) and Joseph Ambrose Annable (6). At the time of Albert’s death in 1918 the family was living at 23 Meredith Street, St Ann’s Well Road. His brother Arthur married Clara Harper, spinster, on 25 December 1915 at All Saints Church, Radford. His army record showed that they had one child, Horace Baxter Harper, who was born on 10 February 1908 at Edwin Street, Nottingham. The family later lived at 23 Auckland Street, Radford. Arthur attested on 11 December 1915 and initially served in the Lincolnshire Regiment (84252) but later transferred to the Labour Corps, serving at home from 11 December 1915 until he was discharged on 11 April 1919 to 23 Auckland Street. His service record noted that he suffered from debility after pneumonia. Arthur died in 1935 (June Nottingham) aged 52. Albert's mother, Elizabeth, died in 1928 Dec Nottingham) at the age of 75. His widow, Violet, died in 1937 (March Nottingham) at the age of 54.

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