b. 27/10/1874 Brussels Terrace, Ilkeston, Derbyshire. d. 20/03/1961 Prescot, Lancashire.
DATE OF EM ACTION: 08/01/1913 Staveley, Derbyshire.
Alfred H Cooper EM
Albert was the eldest of eight children born in Brussels Terrace, Ilkeston, Derbyshire, to Albert and Sarah Cooper (nee Mills). He was baptised in Ilkeston on 17th January 1875. His siblings were called Annice, Florence, Fanny, Christiana, Walter, Arthur and Harold McCabe. The family eventually moved to Staveley, Derbyshire when Albert was 6. On 20th November 1900, Albert married Hannah Lizzie Nash in Staveley, and their first child Constance was born the following year. They had three more children, Colin, Evelyn and Florence, though sadly Florence only lived to the age of 2, dying in 1910. By now, Albert had become Under Manager at the Markham No 2 Colliery in Staveley.
Following his action which led to the award of the Edward Medal, little else is known about Albert’s life except that he moved north to Lancashire, where they settled in Huyton. His wife died on 23rd December 1954 at their home, 115 Tarbock Road, and soon afterwards, Albert moved to nearby Prescot. He died aged 86 on 20th March 1961.
EM CITATION:
On the 8th January last a steel girder fell from a roof in the Markham No. 2 Colliery, Stavely, Derbyshire, causing a fall of the roof. Mr. Cooper, the under manager of the mine, who at once went to the place, took steps to repair the damage, and, while the debris was being removed in tubs, a second fall occurred without) warning and buried three men engaged in the work of removal. Though fragments of the roof were still falling, Mr. Cooper dashed over the heap of debris and, being joined later on by Mr. Hewitt, the manager, he succeeded in rescuing two of the men. They then proceeded to search for the third man and discovered him completely buried. George Thompson, a workman employed at the mine, came to help, and the three worked for about fifty minutes in order to extricate the unfortunate man. They had all but succeeded, when a further heavy fall took place killing him outright. Notwithstanding the risk of further falls, the work of rescue was continued for four hours, till the dead body was reached. The three men incurred prolonged and serious risk in their efforts to save life.
BURIAL LOCATION: UNKNOWN.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: FAMILY OWNERSHIP.
