History of our Cooper Family
The Cooper family orginated in a small village called Aston Juxta, now a part of the sprawling city of Birmingham. Joseph Cooper married Maria Bluck and together with their young son William Bennett Cooper they emigrated to Victoria, settling in the Geelong/Colac district.
More to come......
Ada Bessie Cooper (1892-1975)
Ada Bessie Cooper was the eldest child of Harry and Elizabeth Cooper (nee Barlow). She was born in Hobart on the 2nd July 1892 and spent her early life living in the southern area of Tasmania. At the time of her marriage to Harold Ewart she was living at 177 Main Rd., Newtown, her occupation was listed as domestic duties and she was a spinster. She was called Adie, this was probably to distinguish between her and an aunt who was Ada Cooper also.
Adie lived a fairly upper class life while she was growing up, the Cooper family owned much of the land that now forms NewTown and it appeared they had money to enjoy all the best of Hobart social life. From diaries I have read life seemed to be an endless round of morning teas, drives to town, picnics and race meetings. Adie loved to read and write letters, collect stamps and post cards. She joined in the war effort by being a voluntary aide and assisted in army camps in Tasmania, this is probably where she met Harry upon his return from France. One of these camps was in the Midlands, called "Ellesmere".
After Harold and Adie were married they moved house many times, mostly in and around Newtown and Glenorchy. Their first child, my mother, Margaret Isobel Ewart was born on 8th December 1924 at Queen Alexandria Hospital in Hobart. Their son Harry was born on 10th June in 1926, he was called "Boy" throughout his life.
The Ewart family continued to move house quite frequently, Mum said she used to spend no more than about 4 months in any one school. I don't know what Harold did to earn a living, I know he was good at making things and we have a teddy bear that was made by him, but that dosen't keep a family of four. My grandmother Adie certainly would not have gone out to work. The family moved north in 1931 and settled at "Coombe Lodge" at Prossers Forest. A fairly impressive name for what was just a rough timber building placed in the middle of nowhere, no neighbours in sight and just rough tracks for access to and from Launceston.
Harold operated a trucking business in and around Prossers Forest in 1935 (refer Examiner newspaper 5th August 1935). In this paper was published a photograph of Harold and his truck loaded with wood and covered in snow during a trip to Launceston. Margaret and Harry were standing by the running boards. This truck ( a 1926 Chev flat tray) is now in the posession of John Read. It was in a very sorry state but John is showing that with patience it can be restored.
Harold and Adie moved to Evandale and then to Bakers Beach to a property called "Brentwood".
The photograph below was taken around December 1956 at the house there when Margaret, Tim, John, Ann and Peter returned to Tasmania for a holiday.
Harold died on 11th April 1957 at Devon House Hospital in Latrobe at the age of 66 years. Adie moved to a house in Pitcairn St., Port Sorell where she spent the rest of her life apart from time living with us at Bakers Lane, Northdown. She was heavily involved with the Country Womens Association, being awarded life membership in the early 1970's. She spent her final years writing letters and notes and receiving visitors whenever she could. One of her favourite visitors was Dr Malcolm, Port Sorell and Latrobe districts family doctor. Whenever he was doing his rounds he would call in to see her and have a cup of tea. She died peacefully in hospital at Latrobe on 19th July 1975. Harold and Adie are both buried at St George's Church of England Cemetery, Newground.