I've just looked through an interesting little booklet on Google Books, 'An Illustrated Guide to Kensal Green Cemetery' (1861?). Right at the end it says 'Frederick Riviere, Clerk of the Company and Registrar': so the F.R. might be his initials?
Got it - should have started at the back of the register not the front. Just seen Huncamunca's post above - go to image 96 and there is Fred Riviere Clerk of the General Cemetery Company
Looking at index to death duties register, I see the executor for Robert Fennessy was one Thomas D. Wright-(Might) of Mousley?Monsley? A peak at a will may have given something of a newsy nature.
Has he initialled because they were late entries, i.e. Charlotte's record: 22nd Oct between two 23rd's Oct And the one referred to by mollymay "The same annotation can be found on page 34 of the register Anc image number 48" Is: 15th Jun between 17th and 18th
I couldn't sleep so thought I may as well do the will now . . . just a summary rather than a full transcription. Now that I've read it properly I see that Robert is making his executors/trustees the guardians of the children and there are clear instructions that other people (including we presume his wife) are not to have any control over the children. Robert Fennessy, 'One of Her Majesty's Foreign Service Messengers', was of Belgrave Cottage, Belgrave Street, South Pimlico, when he made his will on 28 January 1845. His friends Thomas Donaghue Wright of ?? Street, Pimlico, David Moore of 11 Ranelagh Street, Pimlico, architect, and Thomas Lord of Belgrave Cottage, Pimlico, solicitor, are nominated as trustees and executors, and as 'sole and entire' guardians of his seven children, Charlotte Matilda Fennessy, Frances Louisa Fennessy, Robert Richard Fennessy, Albany Howard Waithman(?) Fennessy, Rodney Fennessy, William Fennessy, and Grace Emma Fennessy. He orders that 'no other person or persons whomsoever shall have the custody management or control over my said seven children' other than the said Thomas D. Wright, David Moore and Thomas Lord, or people appointed by them. 'feeling that I have faithfully and honestly discharged my duty towards Her Majesty and to the respective Sovereigns of these Realms during the period of upwards of twenty years I respectfully presume that a pension will be granted to my wife Charlotte Matilda Fennessy should she be living' Does he mean he doesn't know if she is alive? or does he just mean if she survives him? Perhaps the latter, for he refers to 'sixty pounds per annum I now allow her out of the Ham Common property'. If a pension is granted to her then the £60 p.a. from the Ham Common property is to be used by his trustees for the benefit of his children. If the pension is not granted then the £60 p.a. is to continue to go to his wife (paid in quarterly instalments). Whether the annuity comes from a pension or from the Ham Green property, it 'shall not be subject to the interference debts control or engagement of any future husband she may marry nor be anticipated by my said wife.' Residue (including rest of pension if it is over £60 p.a.) to go to his trustees who are to pay funeral exepenses, debts, pay off any mortgages on his property, let his freehold or leasehold property 'in the best manner and for the best sum that can be obtained'. The rents from the properties and dividends/interest from any money to be used to pay for 'the board lodging washing maintenance clothing and education' of the children (apparently not just until they are 21 but 'for the terms of their natural lives'; and then 'after the decease of the survivor of my said seven children' the trustees to divide the property 'amongst all the children of my said seven children who shall be married and have children' and if all of the seven children die without issue then he leaves the property to his 'brother law' (sic) Richard Wilson and his wife for life and after their decease to their children' Finally he says 'any person who shall institute any proceedings in a Court with a view to ascertaining the construction or meaning of this my Will shall forfeit and lose all benefit under this my Will my intention being that whatever Act my trustees shall do or oder the same shall not be subject to the control of any person whatsoever but shall be considered as valid as if it had been my own act and I had actually been living at the time.' Signed Robert Fennessy; witnessed by Henry Grattan and John Royal Poignaud/Poignand, Foreign Office. [this copy doesn't have the original signatures; the name of the second witness may have been misread by the clerk - surely he must be John Rozel Poignand, who was a Queen's messenger] Affidavit, 21 April 1847, by Thomas Lord of 10 Grays Inn Square, Middlesex, solicitor, swearing that the insertion of some words ('to the amount') in the will had been done before it was signed and witnessed. (He also gives a more recent address for Robert Fennessy than the one given in the will: 3 Eccleston Terrace, Pimlico.) Probate granted 30 April 1847 to Thomas Donaghue Wright, David Moore and Thomas Lord.
Morning/Afternoon/Evening all! With further research, I think the William Cooper I am tracing was born Chelsea, Middlesex, England on 23 Jun 1815 and baptised 2 Jan 1816 Chelsea St Luke. Father is William and mother is Catherine (possibly Isaacson). He has two sisters (Catherine “Kate” Victoria or Victoire and Caroline T) and two brothers (George Edward and Alfred). All born and baptised St Luke, Chelsea. I was trying to find the marriage of William Cooper, Solicitor, to Martha ? I've been trying Middlesex or London between 1841 and 1845. Martha does not show up with him on the 1841 Census, so they probably married after and also is not on the 1851 census, where William is listed as a widower. But alas, no luck. 1841 the census place is Chelsea MDX 1851 the census place is Paddington MDX 1861 the census place is Kensington St Mary Abbott MDX (living with son, Charles William Frederick, as boarders at 14 Brompton Court in Brompton) So I am trying the death now of Martha Cooper between 1844 and 1851. Here are a couple of finds: Name: Martha Cooper Age: nothing listed Spouse: nothing listed Reg Year: 1850 Reg Qtr: Oct-Nov-Dec Reg Dist: St Luke Inferred County: London Volume: 2 Page: 215 Name: Martha Cooper Age: nothing listed Spouse: nothing listed Reg Year: 1847 Reg Qtr: Oct-Nov-Dec Reg Dist: Whitechapel Inferred County: London Volume: 2 Page: 650 Any help gratefully accepted TY Wendy aka mrshuma
Marriage of William Cooper to Martha Brackstone 22 August 1843, Saint James Paddington, London. But.... Fathers Richard Cooper and Moses Bracstone. It does though fit nicely with the birth of Charles William Frederick Cooper in 1844 details on Find a Grave. Father of Dame Gladys.
The William Cooper and Martha Cooper/Brackstone appear on 1851 census at Andover Hampshire living with Moses Prackstone and his family. They have a son but not a Charles. I think that is where Martha comes into it. Perhaps someone saw the William Cooper/Martha Cooper and figured it was your William.
I might say that Charles William Frederick Cooper had a couple of dalliances, including the maid His granddaughter Joan North Buckmaster, most interestingly, married actor Robert Morley. Interesting family bio's with lots of background but not the background we are after.
Took me an age to find it again but on Rootsweb World Connect for Frances Marcelia Russell, Charles 1st wife. There is quite a long paragraph describing their divorce and circumstances. Another child by the name of Charles Henry St John Cooper is listed as their son.
What an interesting thread this is. Frances father, Henry Russell was a composer and wrote amongst others 'Life on the Ocean Wave'. We all know that one, I'm sure. Completely off track now but enjoyably so.
Also an author who wrote under the names of Henry St John, Henry St john Cooper and Mabel St John. What an artistic lot they are.
WRONG: Henry St John Cooper was a pseudonym of John Creasy, crime writer. So was Mabel St John. Forget the last post.
I found the Rootsweb information for their divorce, very interesting if not saddening. It also says that they had four children, but I have only two. Makes me wonder if their children ever lived with their mother again. I wonder if he did the same thing to Mabel Barnet? On the 1851 census, William is 35, son Charles William Frederick is 6 and William's mother is "Catherine" not "Martha"??? "Catherine" is not on the 1861 census with William and Charles - does that mean that she has died? There are a few Catherine Coopers who have passed in 1860 and 1861. I can't tell which would be correct and also have informed Ancestry that they are missing scanned pages for some of these. Must go back to my real life.................. Be back soon. Wendy aka mrshuma
The Rootsweb info on Frances Marcelia Russell states that she and Charles divorced in 1883. They had 4 children, Charles marrying again to Mabel Barnett in 1887.It also says that Frances sent the children away with the French nurse (Charles' dalliance) early in 1881. Sometime after that Frances visited the children and found the French nurse had, had a child to Charles. 1881 census can be found: Helen Emma Cooper age 7, Isabella F age 5 and William G age 2 (born Hornsey) as borders with the Frampton family in Bridge Road Hammersmith. Also boarding with the Frampton's is Gregenio Castagner, female age 24 born France. The eldest child Charles Henry isn't with them but a Charles Henry age 11 born Paddington can be found as a scholar at Haverstock Street. These children appear to be those of Frances and Charles as Frances had siblings with the names, Isabella, Charles and Henry also an Emma. 1881 census has Charles 36 a civil engineer and Frances 35 at Hornsey, Middlesex with 2 female servants
The only William Cooper with wife Catherine I can find is William W Cooper, Barrister 37, born Bradford Wiltshire. Wife Catherine 34 Bromley Kent. Children are William 9 born Buckenham Kent, Edward S 8 born Stonebridge Kent, Robert S 5 Buckenham, Kent, Catherine 3 St Pancras and Henry 2 St Pancras. Heathcote Street St PancraPage 42, Registration HO107, Folio 1495/696. Census 1851
