Person:Charles Coppack (1)

Charles Hart Coppack was born on 10th May 1894 in the city of Chester, son of Lucy Elizabeth Coppack, formerly Barlow, and her husband William James Coppack, a provision merchant. He was baptised later that month at St Oswald's Church in Chester, when the family's address was given as 16 West Lorne Street. Charles's parents had married the year before he was born. When Charles was only about two years old, his mother died.

The 1901 census finds Charles living with his father and paternal grandparents at 6 Ashby Place in the Flookersbrook area and parish of Newton-by-Chester, which at that time was just outside the city boundaries of Chester. Charles's father remarried later in 1901 to Eliza Jane Pleavin, who thus became Charles's stepmother, and Charles had one half-brother from that marriage. The 1911 census finds Charles working as an apprentice architect and living with his father, stepmother, stepmother's mother and half brother at 33 Lime Grove in Hoole, another suburb of Chester that was just outside the city boundaries at the time.

During the First World War, Charles enlisted at Chester on 12th May 1915, two days after his 21st birthday. He was described as being 5 feet 6½ inches tall. He served some months with the Royal Field Artillery, but was keen to be transferred to the Royal Engineers so that he could use his skills as a draughtsman. References were provided from his pre-war employers in Chester and he had to secure permission to be transferred and pass various tests of his ability. He managed to secure his transfer in February 1916, and was posted to the Royal Engineers based in Winchester as a Sapper, later being appointed Draughtsman Lance Corporal in 1917.

During the war and whilst based in Winchester, Charles married Bessie Amelia Eagles. They married on 18th October 1917 at Christ Church in Winchester. They had a son the following year, who was born in the Chester area.

In November 1919, with the war over, Charles was discharged from the army. Charles and Bessie had a daughter in 1923 in the Chester area.

At the outbreak of the Second World War, Charles, Bessie and their children were living at 21 Sandon Road in Chester. Charles described himself as a chartered architect.

Bessie died in 1948, aged 53, in the Weston-super-Mare area of Somerset.

The following year, Charles married again. His second wife was Florence Wilson, formerly Timothy, a divorcee with two adult daughters. They married in the Weston-super-Mare area. They later moved to North Wales, settling at Old Colwyn (which at the time was part of the borough of Colwyn Bay) in Denbighshire.

Charles died at Old Colwyn on 10th May 1961, which was his 67th birthday. Florence survived him by nearly fifteen years.

1. ↑ Births index, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

   b. Charles Hart COPPACK, June Quarter 1894, Chester Registration District, Volume 8a, page 421, mother's maiden name Barlow

2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1 Baptisms register, in Church of England. St. Oswald's Church (Chester, Cheshire). Parish registers of St. Oswald's Church, 1581-1969. (Chester: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies Service).

   BAPTISMS solemnized in the Parish of St Oswald in the County of the City of Chester in the year One thousand eight hundred and ninety four
   No.	When Baptized	Child's Christian Name	Parents' Name		Abode	Quality, Trade, or Profession	By whom the Ceremony was performed
   			Christian	Surname
   879	1894 May 30 (Born May 10th, 1894)	Charles Hart	William James & Lucy Elizabeth	Coppack	16 West Lorne Street	Provision Merchant	Ernest C. Lowndes

3. ↑ England. England. 1901 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG13; Piece 3376; Folio 23; Page 27, 31 Mar 1901.

   Address: 6 Ashby Place, Flookersbrook, Newton by Chester, Cheshire
   Samuel Coppack, head, married, male, 57 [1843/4], Provision Trade, employer, b. Hawarden, Flintshire, Wales
   Hannah Coppack, wife, married, female, 53 [1847/8], b. Chester, Cheshire
   William J. Coppack, son, widower, male, 30 [1870/1], Provision Trade, worker, b. Chester, Cheshire
   Charles Coppack, grandson, male, 6 [1894/5], b. Chester, Cheshire
   Emma E. Smith, visitor, single, female, 38 [1862/3], Living on own means, b. Peterborough, Huntingdonshire

4. ↑ England. 1911 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom: The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.))
   Class RG14; Piece 21884; Schedule 43, 2 Apr 1911.

   Address: 33 Lime Grove, Hoole, Cheshire
   6 rooms occupied
   William James Coppack, head, married, male, 41 [1869/70], married (twice), present marriage 9 years, 2 children born alive, 2 children still living, Grocer & Provision Dealer, employer, b. Chester, Cheshire
   Eliza Jane Coppack, wife, female, 38 [1872/3], married, b. Hoole, Cheshire
   Jane Pleavin, mother in law, female, 80 [1830/1], widow, b. Hoole, Cheshire
   Charles Hart Coppack, son, male, 16 [1894/5], single, Apprentice - Architect, worker, b. Chester, Cheshire
   Herbert Samuel Coppack, son, male, 8 [1902/3], School, b. Chester, Cheshire

5.   British Army WWI Service Records, 1914-1920 (The National Archives / ancestry.co.uk).

   Summary of information
   Name: Charles Coppack
   Address: 33 Lime Grove, Hoole, Chester
   Age: 21
   Trade: Draughtsman
   Enlisted: 12 May 1915 at Chester
   Height: 5 feet 6½ inches
   Next of kin: William James Coppack, father, 33 Lime Grove, Hoole, Chester
   Marriage: Bessie Amelia Eagles, Spinster, Christchurch Winton, 18.10.17
   Children: Charles Frank, b. 20.11.18
   Her address given as "Maesgwyn", Sleepers Hill, Winchester
   Service:
   "A" Battery R.F.A., Gunner
   Royal Engineers transferred 21.2.16
   Royal Engineers Sapper 22.2.16
   L/Cpl 28.3.16
   Apptd. Draughtsman L/Cpl. 27.12.17
   Discharged 2.11.19
   Address: 102 New Faulkner Street, Hoole, Chester
   Disability:
   1. D A St[?]
   2. Defective Vision
   Degree of Disablement 40%
   Letter 31.1.16 from a Major in the R.F.A. to the Royal Engineers, including: "This N.C.O. is quite prepared to relinquish his stripe & enter the R.E's as a Sapper, on the condition that he is allowed to act as Draughtsman in some capacity."
   Paperwork from Feb 1916 follows allowing his transfer from the Royal Field Artillery Regiment at Fort Southwick to the Royal Engineers Regiment at Winchester servaing as a Draughtsman (Sapper).
   Letter of 9 Jan 1916 from Lieutenant Richard T. Beckett:
   "Sir,
   Bom C.H. Coppack, 38th Div, R.F.A., tells me that he has asked you to appoint him your Draftsman.
   He was in my Office in civil life before the war for some years, and only left to join the R.F.A. He is a good draftsman and I have a very high opinion of him, both as regards his work, and also his private character.
   I may say that we tried very hard to get him as draftsman to the C.R.E. North Wales, but failed to get him transferred from the Southern to the Western Command.
   I believe him to be thoroughly trustworthy in every respect, and shall be happy to answer any questions you may wish to ask."

6. ↑ General Register Office. 1939 Register
   Chester County Borough, 29 Sep 1939.

   Address: 21 Sandon Road, Chester, Cheshire
   Coppack, Charles H. / male / 10 May 1893 / married / Chartered Architect, Architect to Cheshire Te... [obscured]
   Coppack, Bessie A. / female / 6 Jul 1894 / married / Unpaid Domestic Duties
   Coppack, Charles F. / male / 20 Nov 1918 / single / Draughtsman General Engineering
   [one record closed]
   Evans, Winifred M. / female / 4 Apr 1909 / married / Upholstress

7. ↑ Deaths index, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

   d. Charles H. COPPACK, June Quarter 1961, Aled Registration District, Volume 8a, page 337, aged 67 [1893/4]

8. ↑ England. National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations),1858 onwards. (Ancestry.com).

   1961
   COPPACK Charles Hart of Gwelfor Garth Road Old Colwyn Denbighshire died 10 May 1961 Probate Chester 16 August to George Innes Noott Dickson solicitor and Peter John Davies chartered accountant. Effects £20257 1s.