Harold Cooper

• Birth date            15 October 1877 at Hutton, South Ribble, Lancashire
• Christening          23 December 1877 at St John’s Church, Preston
• Marriage              June 1924 to Geraldine Ruth Luxmore at Blackburn
• Death date           3 February 1975 at Feniscowle
• Probate                5 March 1975 at Liverpool £11,897

Harold Cooper was born in Hutton, a small village to the south-west of Preston on the main road to Southport, on 15 October 1877 and was the son of John J Cooper, a manufacturing chemist and drysalter, and his wife Annie. In 1892 he was articled to Walter Stirrup, a prominent local architect in Blackburn whilst also attending Blackburn Technical School. After completing his articles, he continued to work as an assistant to Stirrup; then briefly for Frederick William Lacey (1855-1916) for three months; and to Briggs and Wolstenholme in 1900. One report claims that he was next employed at H. M. Office of Works, where he is said to have designed many Government buildings, including some of the largest Post Offices in the country. However, this has not been verified from other sources.

Cooper was elected an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects (ARIBA) on 3 December 1900, proposed by J Slater, F G Briggs, and H V Wolstenholme. In 1907 he was awarded the Soane Medallion and prize which allowed him to travel on a six-month tour of Italy, Switzerland, and France after which he commenced, in partnership with Harold Slater, in private practise in Blackburn under the style of Cooper and Slater.

Still in partnership, Harold Cooper and Harold Slater emigrated to Canada, arriving in Saskatoon, Sask. in late 1912. The following year, both were invited by Frank P. Martin to form a new partnership of Martin, Cooper & Slater, but no references to their work have been found. By June 1913 Harold Cooper was already undertaking commissions in Saskatoon and the vicinity but chose to return to England, to resume his career in Blackburn. The partnership was formally dissolved in June 1914.

In 1921 he removed to Ohio where his address was given as 234 Central Savings and Trust Building, Akron, Ohio, USA (RIBA Kalendar) but again his stay was brief and by 1924 he was again in Blackburn. Commissions have yet to be found for the inter-war period.

In June 1924 Harold Cooper married Geraldine Ruth Luxmore, born 6 January 1891 at Akron, Summit, Ohio, USA and died at Blackburn on 9 November 1971. The couple had two children, Nancy and Anthony. American records indicate that in 1920 she described herself as a draftsman employed by an American house architect. On 1 May 1924 she applied for her first passport to sail from New York to England on board the “Adriatic” on 7 June. Although she stated her intention to return to the USA within 12 months, she married Harold Cooper within days of her arrival and remained in England until her death in 1971.

Harold Cooper died on 3 February 1975 aged 97 at his residence, Feniscowles Old Hall, Blackburn.

Residence
1911-1975    Feniscowles Old Hall, Pleasington, Blackburn 1911 and

Address
1908-1914    13 Richmond Terrace, Blackburn  
1911-1920    Feniscowles Old Hall (RIBA Kalendar)
1913        57-60, Central Chambers, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
1922        234 Central Savings and Trust Building, Akron, Ohio, USA (RIBA Kalendar)
1924-1933    12 Richmond Terrace, Blackburn  (RIBA Kalendar)
1936-1939    Richmond Chambers, Blackburn. (RIBA Kalendar)


Reference
Who's Who in Architecture 1926. edited by Frederick Chatterton. London: The architectural Press, 1926
Directory of British Architects 1834-1914. Compiled by Antonia Brodie, et al. Volume 1: A-K. London; New York: British Architectural Library, Royal Institute of
British Architects/Continuum, 2001
The London Gazette 13 November 1914 p. 9314
Biography of Canadian Architects
Canadian Municipal Journal, ix, July 1913, 301, biography and list of works by Cooper)
S.A.A. Application form,