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Wandsworth Common Gypsies and Travellers.[this site]

Charlotte Cooper

Index

George Borrow Society: Wandsworth Gypsies [this site]

George Borrow: Wandsworth Gypsies [from Romany Lavo- Lil?]

Wikipedia: George Borrow (1803-1881).

Wikipedia: Charles Robert Leslie (1794-1859).

Wikipedia: Charles Godfrey Leland (1824-1903).

History of Wandsworth Common: Charlotte Cooper (dates?).

JACK COOPER

Aka Thomas and "Gipsy" CooperHusband of CHARLOTTE COOPER (nee LEE). [aka Thomas and "Gipsy" Cooper]

Wandsworth Common

IN THE NEWS

JACK COOPER

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[I include this because it may suggest avenues for research.]

Jack "Gypsy" Cooper came from a Romany family known for fighting. Under the heading Gypsies, an editorial in the Cambridge Chronicle and Journal of July 26 stated that "of late years, some attempts have been made to reduce the numbers, or at any rate to civilize the habits of that vagabond and useless race. . . ". It listed the names of families among which was Cooper.

Jack's first official fight came at the age of 20 when for £10 he was matched to Somerset man West Country Dick. According to the Morning Chronicle, May 17, 1820, Dick had been up all night drinking and was lushed heavily but was the favourite. In the ensuing 29 Cooper appeared immune to being hit and slowly wore his opponent out. The Chronicle reported that Dick was "terribly beat," and had to be taken away.

On August 1821, the Morning Post regretted to announce that following the match between Cooper and Irish champion O'Leary two days earlier, the latter had died and that an inquest would take place that morning. The Cambridge Chronicle and Journal covered the story. Witnesses confirmed that it was a fair match. O'Leary had the best of it until an unfortunate blow to his temple ended the contest. Mr Wallace the surgeon opined that O'Leary died from the effects of the match but he hadn't actually examined the head, at which point the coroner ordered that he should do so. The body "which was in a putrid state, was taken out of the coffin and the head opened." There was a rupture of the brain but in Dr Wallace's opinion, not enough blood to have occasioned death. The verdict was nevertheless that the deceased had lost his life whilst engaged in an illegal transaction. Cooper was charged with manslaughter for which he spent several months in gaol.

Jack Cooper was no stranger to the courts. In January 1824 he appeared on a charge of rioting and "cocked his eye at the Chairman in a very knowing manner,"(Sussex Adviser). In view of was found not guilty.

By 1823 he seemed to be over the hill and began to then after he was transported to Australia for an unspecified crime (www.romanygenesm). At the end of he chose to remain there and allegedly died in Tasmania at 105 years of age.

https://www.janisleofwightnovelistandhistorian.co.uk/Articles-and-Short-Stories