1955
(497)
(Railway Passenger Guard)
Born, 9th March 1888 at Badby, Northamptonshire. Moved to Leicester in 1914. Served on the Leicester Board of Guardians from 1925 to 1930 when the Board ceased to exist. Elected to City Council as Labour Representative for Latimer Ward in May 1930 and served until October 1931. Re-elected as representative of the same Ward in July 1934 and has served continuously since that date. Elevated to the Aldermanic Bench in 1952. High Bailiff of the City 1951/52 during the Lord Mayoralty of Alderman T. Rowland Hill.
During the whole of his public life, Alderman Cooper's principle interest has been the welfare of the aged and handicapped. He has served for many years as Chairman of the Welfare Committee and previously was Chairman of the Public Assistance Committee. During the period of his connection with Welfare work in the City great progress has been made in the care of the aged and handicapped and many new homes opened for old people. The latest of these homes, "Cooper House," on the Eyres Monsell estate, is named after him as a tribute to his work in this field. Many improvements have also been effected at Hillcrest Home for the Aged and Infirm during Alderman Cooper's Chairmanship of the responsible Committee.
Alderman Cooper has served on the Education and Health Committees during the whole of his period on the City Council and for many years has acted as Chair, man of the Health Inspection Subcommittee. He has interested himself particularly in the Smoke Abatement problem and was Chairman of the Midland Area Committee of the National Smoke Abatement Society in 1955/56. He has also been a member of the Watch, Housing and Town Planning Committees.
For 45 years Alderman Cooper has been a member of the St. John Ambulance Association and for his Service to the Association he was appointed an Honorary Serving Brother of the Order of St. John in 1940.
He has been Secretary, Leicester (No. 3) Branch of the National Union of Railwaymen, since 1923.
In 1914 he married Lizzie Timms who died in January 1947, and has three sons and one daughter. In December 1947 he married Annie Hill.
