100TH BIRTHDAY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 85, Issue 188, 12 August 1941, Page 7

100TH BIRTHDAY

MR. JAMES J. COOPER Auckland. Aug. 9. Proud of his English birth and re-1 sending any suggestion of being aj colonial, although he has lived lor 781 years in New Zealand, Mr. James I Joseph Cooper will celebrate his I 100th. birthday to-day at the residence of his daughter, Mrs. G. Vazey, Arthur Street, Onehunga. According! to his own estimate he should be 1011 years old to-day, but the recent receipt of his birth certificate shows that he was born at Cromer, Norfolk,; on August 9, 1841. Mr. Cooper went to sea at the age. of 13 and after sailing in all parts oli the world for nine years he reached i Auckland in 1863 in the ship Ironsides, i Hearing that the Maori War had' broken out, Mr. Cooper swam ashore! from the ship one dark night, and! enlisted for service, ror a period he I was engaged in naval vessels on the i Waikato River and on the west coast I as far south as Wanganui. Obtaining his discharge, Mr. Cooper! went to the Otago goldfields, later trying his luck in Westland. Ln 1873 he returned to Auckland, married, and began farming at Pakuranga. On the death of his wife in 1903 he went lu Onehunga, where for several years he conducted a ship chandlery and sail-making business. On his retire-! ment he remained at Onehunga. I Of five children and six s ep-chi]-j dren, only three survive. There are 36. grand-children and several great-! gr«nd-children.