John Cupper in Cross Street
The Cupper family [alias Cooper] were living in Wingfield during the 18th and 19th century and John Cupper [1837-1914] came from Wingfield to Hoxne and was married to Sarah Stygall [1841-1924] who was also born at Wingfield. By 1900 they were living at The Retreat in Heckfield Green and were the parents of Ellen [1865-1931], William [1866-1921], Charles, Sarah, Jack, Molly [Polly], Betsy and Harry [1873-1950].
William Cupper [1866-1921] was married to Jane Edworthy and they were the parents of Harry William Cupper who was married to Olive Elsey. Olive and Harry were the parents of Pamela and Janice.
We have a John Cupper being married to Mary Ann Connold on the 5th June 1838 at Wingfield so we can presume that he was related to the Cupper family who had established themselves in Wingfield. In 1828 John Tye of Hoxne was married to Jane Cupper on the 19th February. The interesting Barker Cupper was married to Naomi Chandler on the 4th June 1827. In 1799 another Barker Cupper [Cooper] was married to Hannah Feaveryear on the 18th of January. In 1756 we have Barker Copper getting married to Jane Jarvis on the 6th July.
I believe that the ancient family of Barker of Chickering were related by marriage to the Cooper [Cupper] family and carried the Barker surname as a Christian name for at least 3 generations. If we go back to the marriage of John Tye [b.1801] to Jane Cupper [b.1805] in 1828, we find that Jane Cupper was the daughter of Barker Cupper [b.1761] who was the son of Barker Cupper [1733-1776] and his wife Jane Jarvis [b.1736] who were married at Wingfield in 1756. Barker Cupper [1733-1776] was the son of Barker Cupper and his wife Martha.
In 1713 we have the marriage of Francis Cupper to Elizabeth Salter on the 16th September and in 1710 Arthur Cupper was married to Mary Bridge on the 24th June. Before 1700 we run into references to Cooper marriages and births. If we look at the Hoxne marriage register we find the marriage of Robert Cowper and Alice Barker, the daughter of John Barker of Chickering who were married on the 3rd September 1575, so perhaps this is the family link which started the use of Barker as a Christian name. The Barker family were of some note in Wingfield and Hoxne and Robert Barker [d.1475] left monies for the establishment of a chapel at Hoxne in which members of his family were buried. The Barker family lived at Chickering Corner Farm alias Blunts Farm [c.1666].
Harry and Olive lived in a thatched cottage on the Denham Road, next door to Richard and Ellen Butcher [nee Riches]. Harry worked at Eye Hospital and looked after the heating system along with general maintenance work.
Having unravelled the descent of the family we find Barker Cupper and Hannah Feaveryear were the parents of John Cooper [b.1809] of Wingfield who was married to Mary Ann Connold [b.1813] of Fressingfield. John and Mary were the parents of Mary [b.1839], John [b.1837] and Charlotte [b.1842]. John worked as an agricultural labourer in Wingfield. Mary Ann was the daughter of Ann Connold of Fressingfield.
John Cupper with cart
John Cooper [b.1837] was married to Sarah Stygall in 1863. Sarah was the daughter of John Stygall [b.1815] of Middleton, Suffolk who was married to Sarah Chilver [b.1819] in 1840. John and Sarah had a large family and the two eldest children Ellen [b.1864] and William John [b.1866] were born at Poplar, London. All of their younger children were born at Hoxne and were John [b.1868], Esther [b.1871], Harry [b.1872], Charles [b.1874], Sarah [b.1876], Betsy [1879-1887], Mary [Molly/Polly] was born in 1882 and was married to William Baldock a Baptist minister who preached at Hoxne Baptist Chapel. The youngest child was Betsy [b.1888] who delivered papers on her bike in Hoxne. Betsy lived at The Retreat with her sister Polly and her husband William Baldock. Betsy lived in a cottage opposite the village shop in Low Street when The Retreat was sold in 1957.
John Cupper [b.1837] was a staunch Baptist, but his wife Sarah was an Anglo-Catholic and worked in service for the vicar at Hoxne. Their son Harry [1873-1950] served in the army and a biography of him is to be found separately.
Article provided by Stephen Govier