My great-great-grandfather Cyrus Copus (1841-1921) married Louisa Anley (1841-1926) at St. Mary Lambeth, Surrey (now London) in 1862. They had numerous children baptised at St. Mark, Kennington, Lambeth, including George Frederick Copus, who, although born in 1868, was not baptised until 1876 - three of his siblings, Emma, Charles and Eliza, also being baptised at the same time. Their brother Walter Henry Copus had been baptised soon after his birth in 1873, his being the first Copus baptism to be found in the registers of St. Mark Kennington. In the baptismal entries, the parents' address was given as 22 Clapham Road, while the father Cyrus Copus was consistently described as either an "Undertaker" or (later) a "Funeral Director". Some of the next generation were also baptised there, including Ernest Wray Copus (1895-1897), the first son of George Frederick Copus, baptised early in 1896.

In the 1891 Census, George Frederick Copus (1868-1949) is shown as aged 22, a Colonial Government Clerk, born in Lambeth. He was still living at the family home, 22 Clapham Road, Kennington, Lambeth (RG 12/399/folio 11), with his parents Cyrus Copus (aged 49, an Undertaker, born in St. Pancras) and Louisa Copus (aged 48, born in Marylebone). The other four children listed, all also born in Lambeth, included his favourite brother Walter Henry Copus (aged 18, a Brassfinisher). Walter Henry Copus (1873-1949) later wrote very touchingly about family life around this time, and the following is an extract from his reminiscences, as transcribed by his grandson Stuart Viner and kindly made available to me by him, through my father:-

"When I say that my brother G [George Frederick Copus] was the bright boy of the family I mean it in all sincerity. At school he got the prizes and at home he never shirked doing his share. He had a great sense of duty to the family life, far more than I am afraid most of us had. Individually and collectively right through his life the rest of the family owe him more than we shall ever be able to repay.

"After school he obtained a position in an architect's office and trained to be an architect but being offered a good position in a Colonial Government office he gave up architecture and trained to be an accountant. In this occupation and at the same office he remained until he retired but not before he received at the hands of King George at Buckingham Palace the order of Commander of the British Empire for services rendered during the war of 1914-1918. During this period as Financial Adviser of the New Zealand Government he was responsible for raising two loans amounting to several million pounds. He also had the unique experience of being a co-signature to a cheque of £575,000. It was stated in the papers at that time that this was the largest cheque that had been put through the banks.

"He never forgot his early training as an architect and later on in life designed and built the two houses he afterwards occupied. He was a good cricketer both with batting and bowling. His best performance was obtaining six wickets for only one run - this was on the Oval. Anyone who has played on a wicket like the Oval that gives little assistance to the bowler will appreciate the performance. He was then playing for a team called St. Marks against a team called the One and All. Members of this team were almost without exception members also of the Surrey Club and Ground and were a very strong Eleven. Tennis also was a game in which my brother was very good and hard to beat. His chief hobby was gardening."

My great-grandfather George Frederick Copus married Ellen Welch in Lambeth in 1893. Most of the over 20 persons named Copus listed in the Lambeth area in the 1901 Census index were fairly closely connected with my ancestral family. They included George Frederick Copus (aged 32, Assistant Accountant, New Zealand Government) and his wife Ellen (aged 32), both born in Lambeth. Their two children listed were Gladys Copus (aged 2) and Leslie Welch Copus (aged 1), both born in Camberwell - my great-aunt and grandfather, respectively. The family was living at 1 Cormont Road, Camberwell (RG 13/420/folio 10), and also present was Ellen's mother Mary Welch, aged 69, born in Rockbourne, Hampshire. These placenames are of some interest. George Frederick Copus called his first house in Kent "Rockbourne" (built in 1907, when he moved out of London to Orpington, now in the London Borough of Bromley) and the other, built after his retirement in 1924, "Cormont". Mary Welch, whose husband James Welch had died in 1895, continued living with George Frederick and Ellen Copus until her death in Orpington in 1916, aged 83.

Cyrus and Louisa Copus were still living at 22 Clapham Road, Kennington, in 1901 (RG 13/413/folio 62), Cyrus being still an Undertaker. This family business continued until 1964, after which, most of the business records were deposited by Will Copus with the Lambeth Archives Department. These are held at the Minet Library and the catalogue on the "Access to Archives" website gives some details of the 13 items in this small collection - see http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a Covering dates given are 1842-1940, the earliest volumes predating the Copus family's involvement.

Just one ledger - now rather tatty, but full of character and interest - remains in the family. Perhaps the reason for its being retained when the other items were deposited was that (it appears) it is the latest in date of these records, covering as it does the period up to the last days of the business in 1964, while the deposited records (according to the catalogue) end in 1940. Headed "Stock Book, K. Copus & Sons, 1 Upper Dorset Place, Kennington Road", it includes pictures of bedsteads, and rough details of orders for furniture, 1874-1876; and lists of funerals carried out, 1872-1876 (giving some considerable detail) and 1895-1964 (giving bare details only - names, dates and fees and expenses). Finally, at the back, there are patterns and other rough notes on furniture. The K. Copus mentioned was my great-great-great-grandmother Kezia Copus (née Baker, born in Gloucester in 1808, who married Charles Copus as his second wife at St. Mary, Bryanston Square, Marylebone, in 1827). She died in Kennington in 1869, aged 61.

This account book of the undertaking business includes references to quite a number of members of the extended family whose funerals were handled by the firm. Family names mentioned include Anley, Beer, Carley and Welch, as well as Copus. In February 1949, for instance, the funeral of Walter Henry Copus is recorded (total cost £35/14/6). Sadly, the death of this favourite brother so affected my great-grandfather George Frederick Copus that his own health declined rapidly, and his funeral in turn (at a cost of £66/5/7) is recorded just four days after Walter's. The funeral of George Frederick Copus' widow Ellen, who died in Orpington at the age of 89, is also mentioned, in December 1957 (total cost £70/12/-). Altogether, this volume is rather interesting and unusual, and has already proved helpful in piecing together some of the history of this particular Copus family.

In memory of George Frederick Copus (1868-1949).

Matthew Copus
307 Dale Street
Chatham
Kent ME4 6QR

Email: info@mcopus.co.uk
Web Site: www.mcopus.co.uk