I was looking into family history on my mother's side the coopers, I see on the website my mother Theresa cooper is on the list of coopers but with a ? After her name. Would like to fill in the gap, my Grandad, Theresa's dad was Keith James Francis Cooper. Keith was son of Francis Charles H Cooper.
Keith also had 2 sons Robert and Tim and one other daughter Kate.

Hopefully you can add my Grandad at least, it nice to put pieces of the puzzle together. [Done! - Bob Hunt]

Nathan Frost - January 2021

Hi Bob, have just come across your web site while looking up about my Mums Uncle George Cooper, his wife Lilian was her Dad's (Charles Newton of Portsmouth) sister, who was a lovely lady and Mum said she looked just like the Queen Mother. My Mums name is Irene M.D. Palmer (nee Newton) who .lived in Portsmouth many years. She is 99 years old and lives with us who look after her after a stroke ( I am her daughter)

Lately she has been reminiscing about the past and her very kind and generous Uncle George, who she remembers very well. Mum is the only surviving child of Mr. Charles Newton.

I was very interested in reading the letters that have been written to you and wondered if any of them still have a photo of Paulsgrove House and of George Cooper. Mum can remember going to the house at Christmas and the summer for some lovely parties. Although I know it has now been demolished.

Her uncle George was very kind and helped her when she was only a teenager to take over the greengrocer shop from her father in Devonshire Square, Southsea. and to put it in her name.

We now live in Gloucestershire and it would be lovely to hear from anyone who can help me. I found your website very interesting and wait in anticipation.

Wendy Ayres - October 2012

I was just showing my grandad (Maurice Cooper) - son of George Cooper the photos of his old home [Paulsgrove House], and I saw my mum (who passed away in 2004) had already written to you!! (S.A. Weir nee. Cooper), I was wondering if you could add her onto your list like you did my Grandad!! As daughter of Maurice Cooper.. and Rosie Wilson (nee. Weir) as her daughter and Alice Weir as her daughter too) My Grandad said he was delighted people were so interested in the tunnels! He couldn't remember my mum showing him photos of the house or tunnels so was happy to see them.

Rosie Wilson - May 2012

NEW - 20-04-2011

1.

I have just found your web site and found it very interesting, especially the part concerning the Cooper family and Paulsgrove House. My father Denis Stokes was a very close and good friend to the old GA Cooper and to several other members of the family. He worked for Kempton Cooper as a manager in a couple of their shops, the last of which was in Kingston Road. I was brought up there living above the shop and we had a back entrance in Toronto Road. They had the house demolished but my parents lived there for about 30 years.

Kempton and his wife Marion and their sons John & Richard went to live in Ireland and a cousin Michael Cooper carried on with the shop.
I remember as a small child old George Cooper walking around the grounds of Paulsgrove House with his dog Oscar telling me not to sit on the damp grass as I will get rheumatism when I get older.

My father did a lot of work for him keeping the grounds looking nice. I know he thought a great deal of my father and he offered him a house of his choice several times but my father never took him up on his offer.

There were two cottages in the fields just along Southampton Road and he let my uncle Bill and his family live in one for several years.

We used to keep our ponies at Paulsgrove House, this is after G A Cooper and his wife had died, and Kempton, Marion and their family lived there. It was a beautiful, wonderful house and I remember playing hide and seek: the cupboards were like small rooms. If I can help with any stories please let me know.

2.

Kempton Cooper's sister Evelyn was given Farlington marshes by her father GA Cooper. She married a Derek Windebank and lived at Farlington.

I remember going to the marshes with my family. There was a long bumpy track Dad used to drive down and he had keys to the gate to enter the marshes. We used to spend time on a Sunday there and Dad also used to help with work there at times. We also kept two of our ponies there for a while.

Back at Paulsgrove House, old GA Cooper used to walk around with his black Labrador Oscar on one occasion Oscar disturbed a wasp nest or bees I am not sure which. Mr Cooper went to help his dog and the stings and the stress of this brought about a stroke for him and his health deteriorated from then on. (Oscar was badly stung but was OK). Dad used to help him get out and about and lift him back into his bed.

I remember Dad cutting the lawns with a large Dennis mower. I used to think this was his own special mower as it had his name on the front. I used to go exploring the greenhouse and orchard and making daisy chains until he had finished mowing. We did this for years and my Dad could have told you so much more but I am afraid he died in 1998.
 

Rosie Cooke - August 2011

NEW - 20-01-2008

Lovely site here Bob. Anyway I'd just like to mention the two brothers who managed the Paulsgrove Lime Company, way back in 1963; they were Maurice and Nigel Cooper. I don't know if they were related to the same family [yes they were, see family table above] but I know they were quite well spoken. I used to work there with a few other workmates. We would have to fill Fisons bags with the Lime which came down from a huge hopper. Sometimes the Lime wouldn't flow very well, so we had a few holes around the bottom of the hopper, with a poker in each hole, to loosen it up, and on many occasions it would squirt out at you and go in your eyes if you weren't lucky.

David Jenson - January 2008

NEW - 08-01-2008

I was pleased to stumble across your great site today. I am David Richards, great grandson of George Cooper. My grandmother is Marion Cooper. Ferne Hudson is both my aunt and godmother. I would love to be added to the list. I still have an old photo of Paulsgrove House and Marion still has one in her drawing room! Keep up the good work!

David Richards - January 2008

NEW - 29-10-2006

I am Edward Cooper, son Royston Cooper who was the son of Albert George Cooper (Little George) who was the eldest son of George Albert Cooper. I am compiling a family tree for my own and the immediate family’s interest.

I’d like to point people towards the publication “Paulsgrove House and the 17th-Century House Plans in Hampshire and West Sussex” by E, Lewis that was published in the Post-Medieval Archaeology Publication, Number 6 in 1970 post the demolition of the house.

Regarding the family, I think I have been able to trace the Coopers back directly (I think it’s accurate) 1833 to George and Fanny Cooper of Portsea (Butchers), whilst Great-Grandma Cooper (Lily May Victoria Newton) can be traced back to the middle 18th-Century.

Edward Cooper - October 2006

NEW - 17-09-2006

My name is Paul Cooper and would like to be added to the Family Site. At present I am compiling a Family Tree for my Son Jonathan and have managed to list most of the family that I can remember and would like to be able to swap information with any one of the family that is interested.

My father was Francis Charles Henry Cooper (Brother of G A Cooper) DOB: 16th February 1896. Died: 17th July 1970 aged 74, (He ran the Shop in Highland Rd) and was married to Kathleen Mary Cooper DOB: 24th October 1911. Died 20th December 2001 age 91

Paul T Cooper - September 2006