Jnhwhitaker family tree Ancestry: Think John is descended from Betty Ogden Coope 1805

Going back another generation: Gideon Coope 1775 was born to Henry Coope 1745-1826 & Jane Mather 1746 -1801 . Henry Coope 1745-1826 was born to Henry Coope 1707 -1795 & Mary Ormored- seemingly no marriages for them on FMP . One in Wigan 1731 of a Henry Coope to Elizabeth Ashurst

1812. Gideon Coope, joiner & builder, Prestwich, went bankrupt in 1812- press articles on FMP.

1814. His wife Martha dies . Buried 19/1/1814 Prestwich - Ancestry Coope tree

1815. He remarries, to a Sarah Hope of Prestwich . Banns 7/8/1815

Sarah then calls herself Sally - to confuse matters!

1816-1832 at least 8 more children are born to him & his second wife . Baptisms exist for Lott 1816, Hugh 1818, Charlotte 1821, Simeon 1823, Matty 1823, John 1824, Jane & Samuel 1826[ born April & September??], William 1828, Mary 1831, Mary & George, twins 1833. All these to Gideon & Sally - but which Gideon & Sally?? , Some of these must be his son's children, Gideon son married in 1821 and underlined children are indeed his

1828. Gideon Coope appears as a Builder & Joiner, Rooden Lane, Prestwich in Pigots 1828 National Directory, North England & North Wales - this could be he or his son

1841C. Gideon Coope, joiner, is living Thorp's Field Cottage, Oldham Cum Prestwich, Prestwich, with a wife Sally and 6 children.

1843.Gideon Coope dies. He is buried on 3/1/1843 in St Mary Prestwich, aged 67, address Prestwich

1851C. . Sarah Coope, 59, widow, is living Rooden Lane, Manchester, with 3 of her children

1861C . Sarah Coope, 70, widow, is living Dish, Prestwich

1871 Mar Manchester Sarah Coope dies aged 78

In the late 18th century the area was mainly rural with scattered farms and small settlements grew at Great and Little Heaton. The population was estimated at 670. Rooden Lane which became part of Bury Old Road was a centre for hand loom weaving and at Simister and neighbouring Bowlee, silk weaving was established. During the 19th century another settlement grew around the junction of Fairfax Road and Bury New Road along with another village centre on Bury Old Road. The area between these centres remained rural, however, the arrival of the railway in 1881 encouraged affluent merchants from Manchester to build villas and move to the town.[The whole prospect of Prestwich changed in 1828. In that year the Turnpike Road from Manchester to Bury was opened. It followed the line of the old Roman road out of Manchester upto the centre of Prestwich where it diverged to head round the end of Mere Clough and join Bury Old Road in Besses o’ th’Barn.

The new road in 1828 transformed Prestwich; it turned the quiet village into a suburb of Manchester. Prestwich was now on the map – it was halfway between Manchester and Bury whereas before it was not halfway between anywhere and anywhere else, it was just in the middle of nowhere. Wealthy people from Manchester and Salford bought up land and built large Victorian villas ( Elderslie, Hornby Lodge etc ) on or near the new road.

Bury New Road also realigned Prestwich on a north-south axis. Previously there seems to have been a scatter of houses and farms and cottages. Bury New Road cut straight through it all, gave it a unifying theme and a “High Street” section.

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