Copley's of England

ALBERT WILLIAM COPLEY 1859-1895

Albert William COPLEY earned his living as a gas rate collector, however, a local firm of solicitors had earlier employed him as a clerk and his father had also been employed as a solicitor’s clerk, latterly with the county court. Albert Copley himself was a native of Rotherham and was born at 98 Westgate on 27 November 1859. He appears to have been the second eldest child of a family of five children. His father George COPLEY had married Mary GAUNT, a girl from Leeds about 1857. In 1861 the family appear to have been one of several families that shared accommodation on the upper floors of No 50 Westgate. Westgate was the main route out of Rotherham towards Sheffield and, at this time, the lower floors of Number 50 were occupied by Joseph CROSSBY a grocer and flour dealer. A yard separated these premises from the Wellington pub and at some point prior to 1865 this yard became Wilfred Street and the family moved into No 7. It was here that his father died in 1865 of a fever - which appears to have lasted 24 days - brought about by ulceration and leading to perforation of the bowels. George Copley was laid to rest on 24 June 1865 in Moorgate cemetery Rotherham. The 1871 census notes that the family was still resident at 7 Wilfred St and Albert is mentioned as an errand boy. Ten years later the COPLEY’S lived in Rotherham on the Mansfield road. Living at home at this time were two of Albert's brothers and a sister. The eldest brother, Alfred Ernest Copley, was an accountant and it is interesting to note that a firm of accountants bearing the COPLEY name was still doing business in the area in 1959. Another brother, George Harold, was a clerk to the Rotherham Corporation. The census notes a third son of Mary COPLEY nee GAUNT, one William Pollard COPLEY, then only eight years of age and still in education. This child cannot be the son of George COPLEY because he would have been born some eight years after George’s death. Albert's sister, Mary Evelyn was fifteen at the time of the census and therefore it is likely that she was born after George’s death. Albert COPLEY married Alice Maud COPLEY in the church of St Mary, Tickhill, in Yorkshire on 12 February 1890. His bride was the daughter of John COPLEY, a master Blacksmith and Mary GILES (the daughter of William GILES a Potter from Blyth in Nottinghamshire) Albert and Alice settled in Wharncliffe Street, Rotherham and it appears that Alice's mother, then herself a widow, lodged with them.

CORONER'S REPORT

Yesterday Mr D. WIGHTMAN, coroner, held an inquest on the body of the deceased, Albert Wm. COPLEY, at the Rotherham hospital. Mr Arthur Lepton WOOLLEN, painter and plumber, deposed that the deceased was his cousin, was 35 years of age, and he had lived at 37 Wharncliffe Street, Rotherham. Deceased had been in the employ of the gas department of the Rotherham Corporation. Generally he had been a healthy man. About 25 years ago deceased had an affection of the spine and had suffered from curvature of the spine more or less since. He had, however, been much better during the last ten years. Deceased had appliances made for the benefit of his spine at the time he first suffered. His affliction had not affected his brain in any way. No other member of the family was of the opinion that his brain had been at all affected. He (witness) had no reason to think so. Deceased died on Thursday, and the last time he had seen him was about three weeks ago, when walking along the street. Deceased was then following his usual occupation. -The Coroner: Has he been a man who has drunk excessively? -Witness: Personally I cannot say so. -The Coroner: I know it is a peculiar question to ask you, but I am bound to put it to you from the circumstances surrounding the case. -Witness: Personally, I do not know, but from what I have heard he has done so. -The Coroner: Had he lost his situation at the Gas Works? -Witness: I cannot say. -The Coroner: For anything you know he was still in the employ of the Corporation? -Witness: Yes. -The Coroner: Has he a wife and family? -Witness: he has a wife and one child. -The Coroner: Have you any suspicion of foul play? -Witness: No sir. -The Coroner: Have you formed any opinion as to the cause of death? -Witness: I may say that for some time past he has suffered from a threatening of suffocation, when proceeding with his usual work. Once when entering the house of a friend deceased said "Give me a drink of water quick I am fast choking." The deceased’s wife was afraid lest he should choke when laid down. -Coroner: Is he insured? -Witness: Not that I know of. -Coroner: Has there been any quarrel between the deceased and his wife? -Witness: Not that I know of. Last January deceased has a serious illness, resulting in congestion of the liver and lungs, and his life was then despaired of. On that occasion he was medically attended by Dr. KNIGHT.

William Henry ALLEN, of No. 1 Sales yard Bridesgate, Rotherham, deposed that he had known the deceased for about six years. He has seen him drunk many times. From what he knew of the deceased he was a man who drank occasionally. He last saw the deceased on Tuesday night, soon after 6 o’clock. He was then at the top of the courthouse steps, in the college yard. Deceased asked him to get him a cab; he did so and went home with him. There was, in his opinion, nothing more the matter with the deceased than simply being drunk. When he arrived home he assisted deceased out of the cab. He then handed his keys to him and asked him to open the house door. He did so and deceased proceeded up the steps and fell down in the passage immediately on entering. Deceased shouted for him to pick him up, and he did so. He understood the deceased to say he had been to Derby with his wife. Proceeding, he said he lifted the deceased into an armchair in the kitchen. When leaving, deceased asked him to see him the next morning near the Gas Office, and he would pay him for his trouble. He never saw any marks of violence upon him, and deceased never complained of anyone assaulting him. Deceased said he was sorry he could not ask him to have anything to drink, as what he had got in the house he wanted for himself. Deceased was by himself when he left the house.

Mrs. Agnes SELLARS, widow of Thomas SELLARS, living at 35 Wharncliffe Street, said she was neighbour to the deceased. She could not say that she had seen the deceased drunk before last Tuesday night. She had many times seen him the worst for drink, but never incapable before. On Thursday morning between nine and ten o’clock, the deceased’s servant came to her house to see if the key had been left with her. At her suggestion, the servant went to the Gas Office to ask if Mr COPLEY was there, and she learnt that he was not. They tried the doors and found that the key was inside the door by which the deceased had entered. The servant effected an entrance by means of the kitchen window, and called for her master. Not receiving any reply she proceeded upstairs, and found deceased on the bed. The deceased was lying on the bed with most of his clothes on. He had only taken off his coat and boots. On the bed by his side was the bottle, produced, labeled "Best London Gin," and it was half full of liquid. She sent for the deceased’s brother, Mr A. E. COPLEY [Alfred Ernest], and he returned in company with Dr KNIGHT. Witness knew the deceased was in the habit of drinking gin. - In reply to Mr WOOLLEN, witness said she had heard deceased complain about his throat only a week ago, when he said his throat would be the end of him. She had heard him complain of having an affection of the heart. She could not say he had complained of his spine being troublesome. She knew he was very delicate and wanted a great deal of care. - Mr WOOLLEN: Has he not had a great deal of physical exertion to go through by the illness of his wife’s mother? - Witness: I believe so. Detective Sergeant ROSS said he had seen Dr KNIGHT and that gentleman’s opinion was that the deceased had suffered from alcoholic poisoning. The Coroner said he had not ordered a postmortem, but if the jury thought it desirable he would do so. Mr WOOLLEN said that during the past fifteen months he had had to carry his mother in law upstairs at great risk to himself. He had some trouble on his mind. The Coroner: Does that lead to suicide? Mr WOOLLEN: No. I mean that in a weak moment he had taken to drink. The Coroner: Do you mean that in the trouble he had he took so many drinks which caused his death, without previously intending to do so?

Mr WOOLLEN: Yes. Mr WATSON (a juryman) said deceased was very steady until he commenced to collect the gas accounts. The jury, after a short deliberation, agreed that the deceased had died from natural causes possibly accelerated by alcohol.