May Elizabeth SMITH

West London Press
March 17, 1939

Page 3

HUSBAND'S DEATH

Taken Ill Four Weeks After Wedding

Only ten weeks after they became husband and wife at Brompton Oaratory the romance of a young Chelsea couple has come to and end with the death at St. Luke's Hospital, Chelsea, of the 33 years old husband.

The couple were Mr. and Mrs. James W. Cooper, 6 Guthrie-street. On Boxing Day they were married at the Oratory by Father Dale Roberts. Mrs. Cooper—she was Miss May Smith then—has lived in Guthrie-street since she was a child. On the couple's return from the ceremony they found that neighbours had swept a pathway through the snow and brought out rags and mats for the bridal pair to walk over. The young couple entered the house under an archway formed of the snowclearers shovels.

Suddenly Taken Ill

"Everybody liked them down this little street." said Mrs. Smith, mother of the young widow, who live at No. 14. "It seemed that everything was going to be perfectly happy for them. They took a nice little flat a few doors away, and were beginning to get settled. Then, one evening, about four weeks after the wedding, my daughter came rushing in to me and said her husband had been taken violently ill with his chest. I went back with her and saw he was very ill. Without bothering to put on a hat or coat I ran round to St Luke's Hospital in Sydney-street, and asked them to send a doctor. They sent an ambulance within a few minutes and my son-in-law was hurried to the hospital. They gave him oxygen on the way there and while they were wheeling him to a bed. He lay there for six weeks, most of the time kept alive by the oxygen treatment. But it was all of no avail. He died on Monday week—exactly ten weeks after they were married.

A Malaria Sufferer

It was revealed that Mr. Cooper's death was due to a long standing lung complaint. He formerly served in the Army and contracted malaria while in India. Except for the occasional attacks of this complaint he always had apparently perfect health.
   His home was orignally in Wakefield, but his parents both died may years ago. After leaving the Army he lived for a while in Paddington, but came to Chelsea early last summer.
   Latterly he had been employed as a tent erector by an Edgware-road firm. It was while engaged on a job at Chelsea Arts Club that he met his wife-to-be, who was on the domestic staff there. They had known each other a little over a year.
   The funeral took place on Friday at Brompton Cemetery, where a simple service was held. The young bride was on the arm of her father, Mr. Harry Smith. Mrs. Smith walked behind with Misses Veronica, and Dorothy Hobbs (n.b. Kimpton), bridesmaids at the couple's wedding.
   Other mourners were Mr. and Mrs. A Plumb (brother-in-law and sister-in-law [n.b. sister]), Mr. Colin Smith (brother-in-law [n.b. brother]), Mrs. A. Kimpton, Miss L. Hobbs, Mr. S. Quelch, Miss D. Balfour, Mr. E Lindiger, and Mr. Ryan.

The Flowers

There were two wreaths from the Chelsea Arts Club—one from the steward, the other from the girls employed ther. Other emblems were from the widow, neibours and friends, Mr. Sydney White, office staff and men (employer and employees of Mr. Cooper). Mr. and Mrs. Smith and Colin, Mr. and Mrs. Plumb and Michael (Burton), Mr. and Mrs. Moulder and Connie (Birmingham), Mr. and Mrs. Gundry and Joan. Miss Hobbs, Mrs. Quelch, Mr. and Mrs. Quelch, jun., and Lily, Mr. and Mrs. Webb, Mr. and Mrs. Ryan, Miss Balfour and Miss Marshall, Mrs. Holman and Mrs. Davies, Mrs. Hendey, Mrs. Bignall and family, and Mrs Elmer and family.
   Messrs. Kendall and Sons, Ltd., 123A King's-road, Chelsea, conducted the funeral.
   Mrs. Cooper wishes to express her sincere appreciation of the kindness shown to her during her recent bereavement, and at the time of her wedding, and acknowledges the beautiful floral emblems sent to the funeral.