Leonard Coupland

He was born in 1890 (birth registered Oct/Nov/Dec), the son of Samuel John Coupland and Celia Steeper Coupland. He had four siblings, Annie Katherine, Frederick Robert, Ralph Sam and Claude. At the time of the 1891 census the family was living on Market Street, Long Sutton, Samuel was self-employed. On the night of the census three children, Annie (5), Claude (2) and Leonard (9 months) were in the house. Also living in the household were Samuel's brother, Robert, and two female general domestic servants. Samuel and Celia were still living on Market Street in 1901 and Ralph (21), Claude and Leonard were there the night of the census. Samuel employed one female domestic servant. By the time of the 1911 census Samuel and Celia had moved to 9 Colville Street, Nottingham, although on the night of the census only Celia, Annie and Leonard were in the house. The family later moved to 32 Heskey Street, Nottingham. Leonard married Ethel Beatrice at Canaan Church, Nottingham, on 20 November 1915 and they lived at 52 Turney Street, Meadows, Nottingham although two years later at the time of Leonard's death their address was 4 Clyde Villas, St Augustine Street. There were no children of the marriage. Leonard's widow later provided details of his living relatives for the army's records: his parents were still living as were all four siblings; both Frederick Robert (44) and Ralph Sam were living in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada, Claude was employed by the Standard Oil Company in Los Angeles, California, and Annie Katherine was unmarried and still living with her parents on Heskey Street. Ethel was awarded a widow's pension of 13/9d a week from 11 March 1918.

Attended Mundella School, Meadows, Nottingham. He was a communicant and in the choir at St Paul's, George Street, Nottingham. (Church closed 1924 and demolished 1925, no record of a war memorial.) He was a printer in 1911 and when he attested in 1915 he gave his occupation as printer's cutter.

He enlisted in Derby, address 52 Turney Street, Nottingham.

Formerly 36574 Notts and Derby Regt (UKSDGW). His army service record survives. He attested on 8 December 1915 when he was 25 years old and was transferred to the Army Reserve on 9 December 1915. He was mobilised the following year and embarked for France in July 1916 joining the 9th Royal Irish Fusiliers in August 1916. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial. He qualified for the British War Medal and Victory Medal.

War obituary, All Saints Church News, October 1917: 'Leonard Coupland, son of Mr and Mrs Coupland of 32 Heskey Street, Lance Corporal Royal Irish Fusiliers, enlisted February 1916, killed in action August 16th 1917, aged 27, married leaves a widow, was a communicant and in the choir at St Paul’s, George Street.' (St Paul's church closed in 1924 and was demolished in 1925. There is no record of a war memorial.) Nottingham Post notice (abridged), 4 September 1917: 'Coupland. Killed in action August 16th, Lance Corporal Leonard Coupland, Royal Irish Fusiliers, age 27, husband of Ethel Coupland of 4 Clyde Villas, St Augustine Street. Son of Mr and Mrs SJ Coupland, 32 Heskey Street. Father, mother, sister, brothers.' In memoriam published 16th August 1918 in the Nottingham Evening Post :- “COUPLAND. – In sweet remembrance of Lce.-Cpl. Leonard Coupland, Royal Irish Fusiliers, who died fighting August 16th, 1917, the loving husband of Ethel Beatrice Coupland. Death divides, but memory clings. “COUPLAND. – In never fading memory of our dear boy, Leonard, lce.-corpl., who was called to higher service at the Battle of Langemarck, August 16th, 1917. Father, mother, sister, brothers (abroad).” Above in memoriam are courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918