William Joseph Cooper

A Skipper with the Trawler Mistletoe (Lowestoft). William died on 7th of May 1919 at the age of 52. 

William was born at Wangford, by Southwold, in 1867, a son of Joseph and Mary Ann Cooper. He was baptised at Wangford on 2 June 1867. In 1871 he was living with his grandparents, William and Mary Ann Easter, at Henstead. In 1881 William lived at Mill Lane, Corton, and he worked as a cow boy.  

On 25 December 1890 William married Susie Alice Boon at Saint Margaret’s Church. William was a fisherman living at 121 Raglan Street and Susie lived at Oulton Corner. In 1891 their home was at 95 Cambridge Road and by 1901 at 28 Seago Street. Later Susie lived at 61 Rotterdam Road. Susie married John Ayers in 1922.

In 1891 William was the Second Hand on the trawler Wanderer. In 1911 he was the Master of the trawler Boys Friend at Padstow. Subsequently he became the Skipper of the trawler Mistletoe. 

On 7 May 1919 the trawler Misteltoe was fishing about half a mile off Lowestoft when it was blown up by a mine. The Skipper of the smack Colinda saw the wreckage and sailed to the spot. The crew of the Colinda were able to recover the body of Thomas Woolner. All of the Mistletoe's five crew were killed.