William Copper


bap. 31/03/1824 All Sts Hastings, Sussex

Parents

Thomas Copper
Ann Phillips d. 31/03/1866
[View Ancestors]

Did You Know?

  • Anne Grace Phillips and William Copper, children of fishermen John Phillips and Thomas Copper, were baptised on the same day at All Saints Hastings in March 1824. John, Thomas and William all died when the mackerel boat the Three Brothers was lost at sea in February 1841.
  • One of the crew lost in the sinking of the Three Brothers in 1841 alongside John Phillips and William Copper the son of Ann Phillips was reported in one newspaper as Ed. Bumsted (the others give his surname as Breandens). A Thomas Phillips married an Ann Bumstead at All Saints, Hastings in 1817.

Documentary Sources

... Information was received at Plymouth on Saturday, by the Success mackerel boat, belonging to Hastings, that the Brothers mackerel boat, of the same place, and her crew, consisting of Thomas Copper, master, William Copper, his son, John Phillips, Edward Breandens, William Symons, and Thomas Swain, had been lost in the severe gale of Friday night. She shipped a heavy sea about 5 (?) o'clock between the Start and Prawl points, which having thrown her on her beam ends, her ballast fell out and she turned bottom up. The master of the Success which was passing swiftly at the time hooked the body of Thomas Copper; but he being a very heavy man, the fastening broke and he was lost. She belonged to Messs (?) John and Mark Breach, of Hastings, and had some valuable nets on board. Thomas Copper and Phillips were married; the other four were single and under 20 years of age. A reward has been offered for the recovery of their bodies. It is feared that two Brighton herring boats, that were in company with the Success bound for Plymouth, have all been lost.

Source: WEST OF ENGLAND CONSERVATIVE, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1841, Column 3
British Newspaper Archive
Source: Sussex Agricultural Express, Feb 13 1841, page 5, column 1
East Sussex Record Office

PLYMOUTH ... Information was received at Plymouth on Saturday, by the Success mackerel boat, belonging to Hastings, that the Brothers mackerel boat, of the same place, and her crew, consisting of Thomas Copper, master, Wm. Copper his son. John Phillips, Edward Breandens, William Symons, and Thomas Swain, had been lost in the severe gale of Friday night.

Source: Woolmer's Exeter and Plymouth Gazette, Saturday, February 13, 1841. Column 6
British Newspaper Archive

Locations

31/03/1824 Church, All Sts Hastings, Sussex
Please note that map data is based on modern streets and house numbers (where a street of that name still exists), and may not reflect the actual historical location.