CENTENARIAN’S DEATH
MR. JAMES J. COOPER
The death has occurred of Mr. James Joseph Cooper, aged 100, at Onehunga. Mr. Cooper reached the Waitemata in 1863 as an able seaman on the ship Ironsides, said to be the first iron sailing vessel built in Great Britain. Hearing that the Maori Wat had broken out, Mr. Cooper, with his kit on his head, swam ashore in Mechanics’ Bay one dark night and offered his services. He was posted to the* Waikato gunboat Gundagai mder Captain Fairchild and took part in the attack on Rangiriri. Obtaining his discharge, Mr. Cooper joined in the Otago cold rush, where he and his brother struck a rich alluvial claim on the Arrow River, In 1867 Mr. Cooper. jo ined in the rush to the West Coast and alter many ups and downs at Hokitika and Kanieri returned to Auckland in 1873, where he married, and took up land at Pakuranga and farmed for the next 30 years. After the death of his wife 40 years ago, Mr. Cooper established a ship chandlery and sail - making business at Onehunga, from which he retired 20 years ago. He was born at Cromer, Norfolk. Of six stepchildren and five children, only three survive. There are 37 grandchildren and a large number of great-grand-children.
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Bibliographic details
Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20649, 27 December 1941, Page 6
Word Count
215CENTENARIAN’S DEATH Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20649, 27 December 1941, Page 6
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