In the second half of the 19th century and the early years of the 20th century Mr Samuel Joshua Cooper was a local business man and a great benefactor to the Barnsley area, in particular to St Thomas’, the church he attended and his period of office as churchwarden (21 years) is still the longest.
Whilst in Barnsley Library Archives I found this obituary to him in the Barnsley Chronicle dated 19th July 1913 .
Samuel Joshua Cooper (known as Mr S J Cooper) died at his residence at Mount Vernon 12.30 a.m. on July 11th 1913 aged 82, (his wife having died 2 years previously).
Samuel Joshua Cooper was the son of Samuel Cooper of Park House, Barnsley who was in his day a colliery proprietor and a linen manufacturer and who died in 1849.
On the death of his father Mr Samuel Joshua Cooper inherited a considerable fortune and for some time continued to carry on a colliery at Worsborough but subsequently closed it.
He didn’t take an active part in municipal or other public affairs but was none the less interested. He tried to avoid publicity and no one knows the full extent of his generosity.
He helped the poor of Barnsley , Worsborough and Districts, giving liberally through local clergy, often remaining anonymous.
A devout churchman, those connected with the work of the church in the York Wakefield
He lived at Mount Vernon York Wakefield
He gave endowments of £100 each to St Johns Barnsley for Augmentations of the Living. He also helped Denby Dale.
It was mostly through his financial assistance that the new mission church of St Lukes St Thomas
He made a gift of £500 towards St Marys’ Church’ New Boys School in Barnsley, completed last year (1912).
He took a deep interest in education affairs and was formerly a governor of Barnsley Holgate Grammar School
The most striking public gift to Barnsley and one which will stand as a lasting memory to him as a benefactor was the Nurses’ Home adjoining Beckett Hospital
Several months ago (1912-1913) when Barnsley Grammar School was removed from its historic premises in Church Street to new buildings in Shaw Lane Mr Cooper purchased the old school house and placed it at the disposal of the local branch of the National Reserve at a nominal rent for the Headquarters of the Club.
At this instance there is now being erected near the scene of the disaster a memorial (stone monument) to the victims of the Oaks Colliery explosion (as no steps at Ardsley had been taken towards this).
Mr Cooper some years ago was appointed to Commissioner of the Peace for the Staincross Division of the West Riding but never qualified to act as a magistrate. He was largely interested in a number of local industrial undertakings and at one time was a director of Barnsley Gas Company and other concerns.
Trustees of a charitable fund newly created called ‘The Joshua Cooper Fund’ at their meeting in Sheffield on Tuesday with the Right Rev. Lord Bishop of Sheffield in the chair, passed a resolution that they desired to place in the Barnsley Chronicle their deep sense of appreciation of the great worth of Mr Joshua Cooper of Mount Vernon.
He gave by deed dated 15th June 1912 a sum to the West Riding Charitable Society of £1000 and intended making further gifts to the same society, income being applied in assisting persons resident in what will be the Diocese of Sheffield and the Diocese of Wakefield within a 10 mile radius of the Parish Church of Barnsley.
In September 1912 Mr Cooper gave a further £1000 upon the same Trusts.
Rev. W. Elmhurst being a member of the Committee managing these Trusts with the Bishop of Sheffield, the Rector of Darfield and others.
Mr Cooper was elected a Trustee of the West Riding Miners’ Permanent Relief Society at its first Delegates’ Meeting on 18th September 1877 and continued to act as such till 1893 when he resigned having remained a life honorary member.
Internment took place at the family vault on Monday afternoon at St Thomas
Outside the church and all the way from Mount Vernon
The service was simple but impressive. The coffin bore the simple inscription:
Samuel Joshua Cooper
DiedJuly 11th 1913
Aged 82 years
Died
Aged 82 years
Most of the notaries of Barnsley seemed to be present including the Mayor and members of the Elmhirst family, Dr Banham and many members of Worsborough Urban District Council.
Among many beautiful wreaths was one from Mr and Mrs Spencer Stanhope, Cannon Hall and from the Sunday School teachers at St Thomas
Taken from Barnsley Chronicle 19th July 1913 – Barnsley Archives.
The following shows the Trust Funds set up by SJ Cooper within our Parish:
25 May 1903 £150 4% Preference Stock on Special Trust for upkeep of the Cooper Tomb
The PCC still holds all the capital from these funds, though after reorganisation only two remain as Trust Funds: The Curate’s House Fund (currently valued around £80,000) and The Fanny & Samuel Joshua Cooper Memorial Fund (£75,000). Nearly all the capital is now held in shares with the Church of England Central Board of Finance and the total value of the Cooper Investments (including the two just mentioned) is around £200,000 (helped by the excellent growth for the CBF shares between 1990 and 2000). The investments provide a steady income of around £10,000 for Church funds – 90 years after his death we still have good reason to be grateful to Mr Cooper. The Cooper Tomb has recently been tidied up and can be found at the East End of St Thomas’ Church.
J Meek & G Holmes
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