Thomas Cope

Thomas was the twin son of Henry George Cope and his wife Ann (nee Howden). Henry George was born in Newark in about 1854, his wife Ann Terrace Howden was born in Pastney, Lincolnshire, in about 1853. They were married in 1873 (O/N/D Louth Lincolnshire) and according to the 1911 Census when they had been married for 37 years they had had ten children of whom only six were still living. The census between 1881 and 1911 record seven children: Elizabeth b. 1878 Beeston Nottingham (A/M/J Bingham) died 1888 (J/A/S Newark), Emma b. 1881 Carlton Scroop Lincolnshire (A/M/J Grantham), Annie Eliza b, 1883 Carlton Scroop (O/N/D Grantham, baptised 7 October 1883 Carlton Scroop), Ethel b. Newark birth registered J/F/M Newark, Henry and Thomas b. Sibsey Lincolnshire births registered J/F/M Boston Lincolnshire, and James b. 1893 Cotham (A/M/J Newark). In 1881 Henry senior (27), a railway signalman for the Great Northern Railway, was living at Carlton Lodge, Carlton Scroop, Lincolnshire, with his wife Ann (28) and Elizabeth (3). Elizabeth died 7 years later in 1888 when she was 10 years old. By 1891 the couple were living on Station Road, Sibsey, Lincolnshire; Henry was still employed by GNR as a signalman. Henry and Ann now had five children: Emma (9), Annie (7), Ethel (5) and their twin sons Henry and Thomas, both four months old. Henry had moved to Cotham by 1901 and was living at Cotham Station, where he worked as a signalman, with his wife and three sons, Henry and Thomas, both ten years old, and James (8), who had been born in Cotham. Their two eldest daughters had left home and were in domestic service. Emma (19) was a housemaid in the household of William Roberts, a retired grocer, and his wife at Acacia House, High Road, Beeston, Nottingham, while her younger sister Ethel (15) was a domestic servant in the household of Thomas Beecroft (37) and his brother Albert (36), both toy and fancy good dealers, at 20 Zulla Road, Nottingham. The third daughter, Annie Eliza, has not yet been traced on either the 1901 or 1911 Census. Henry and his wife were still living at Cotham in 1911 but only Thomas (20), a labourer at a 'plaster pit', was still in the family home. Henry's three daughters and youngest son James have not yet been traced on the 1911 Census, but his twin son Henry (20), a railway engine cleaner, was living at 14 Bourne Street, Netherfield, Nottingham, in the home of his uncle, James Cope (52) and his wife Hannah (50). Thomas married Sarah E Bollands in 1914 (A/M/J Newark) and they had one child, a son Lewis Robert b. 15 May 1915 (1915 A/M/J Newark). Lewis died in 1979 (March Manchester) aged 63. Thomas' twin brother, Henry served in the 2nd Bn Bedfordshire Regiment (14460 Private) and was killed in action on 25 September 1915 (Vermelles British Cemetery). Henry's home was at 41 Victoria Road, Netherfield, Nottingham, at the time of his death. His brother James served in the 2/8th Bn Sherwood Foresters (305813 Lance Corporal) and was killed in action on 7 April 1917 (Vadencourt British Cemetery). James lived at 44 Wilford Crescent West, Meadows, Nottingham. Thomas' mother Ann died in 1914 (J/A/S Newark) at the age of 61 while his father Henry died in 1919 (June Nottingham) at the age of 65. A notice of Henry jnr's death in 1915 gave their father's home as Cotham but he later moved as the CWGC record gives his address as 10 New Road, Balderton, Newark. It is likely that the eldest surviving daughter, Emma, died unmarried as there is a record of an Emma Cope (b. abt 1880) who died in 1954 (December Basford) age 74. Annie Eliza may have married (Bottrill) as there is a linked record with 'Cope' of her death at the age of 89 in 1972 (September Basford) giving her date of birth as 14 September 1883.

In 1911 he was a labourer at a 'plaster pit'.

He enlisted in Newark

Thomas Cope, served in France from 28 June 1915 and was killed in action a year later on 24 June 1916. He is buried in Foncquevillers Military Cemetery (grave ref. l.F.25). He qualified for the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.

Nottingham Evening Post notice (abridged), 17 July 1916: 'Cope, killed in action June 24th, Private T Cope, Sherwood Foresters. Wife and baby.' Registers of Soldiers' Effects: his wife Sarah was his sole legatee.