Daisy May Fry (Waters) was born on May 6th, 1878, the daughter of Mary Anne Waters. After Mary Anne’s marriage to Frederick Fry in 1879 she was christened as Daisy May Fry on November 2nd, 1881 at St Peter’s, Maidstone.
In 1881 Daisy May & her younger borther Charlie & her parents were living at 6 Hills Cottages, London Road, Maidstone, Kent.
At the time of the 1891 census Daisy was recorded as being with her parents in Maidstone but she was also registered as a patient at the Fever Hospital, Fant Lane, Maidstone at this time.
Daisy married Thomas Henry Cooper on Septeber 16th, 1894 at St Phillip, Maidstone. Thomas Henry was christened August 30th, 1874 at St Luke’s, Deptford, the son of Margaret & Thomas James Cooper, a gas fitter.
The 1891 census shows that Thomas Henry was working as a skin dresser (fur). Thomas joined the Royal West Kent Regiment in January 1892 at which time he was working for Nugent Bros, Curriers. He left the service in June 1901 with the rank of Lance Corporal after he had served in Malta.
Daisy could not be found in the 1901 census.
In 1911 Daisy (listed as married for 16 years) was living at 4 Gambiers Court, Chatham, Kent with 5 children – Tom (10), Fred (6), Edith (9), Ellen (4) & Edward (1). Children Alice (14) & Daisy (12) were listed with their grandfather Frederick Fry in Chatham at the time of the census. Also living with Daisy was Patrick Marney (34), a general labourer & described as a visitor. (According to Sally Ann Ironmonger, the granddaughter of Ellen Cooper, Patrick Marney was the father of Ellen & Edward. Two further children were born to Daisy & Patrick Marney.)
The 1939 register shows widowed Daisy living at 5 Eldon St, Chatham with son Edward, a lorry driver, & daughter Violet, a shop assistant. Living in the same dwelling was daughter Ellen, now married to John Waterman, a builder’s labourer, & their 2 children.
Daisy May died, aged 74, on January 27th, 1953 at 5 Eldon St, Chatham.
The children of Daisy May Fry & Thomas Henry Cooper were:
f.2.3.6.1.1 Herbert Thomas Cooper born April-June 1895 at Maidstone; died July-September 1895 at Strood, Kent
f.2.3.6.1.2 Alice Cooper born July-September 1896 at Dartford; died December 13th, 1915 in Chatham, Kent
f.2.3.6.1.3 Daisy Cooper born July-September 1898 in Chatham
f.2.3.6.1.4 Thomas Henry Cooper born June 20th, 1900 at 34 Back Hards Town, Chatham
f.2.3.6.1.5 Edith Maud Cooper born March 17th, 1902 at 102 The Brook, Chatham; died Jan-March 1982 at Chatham, Kent
f.2.3.6.1.6 Maud Margaret Cooper born December 1903 at Chatham; died September 1904 at Chatham
f.2.3.6.1.7 Fred Cooper born Oct-December 1904 at Chatham;
f.2.3.6.1.8 Ellen Cooper born October 16th, 1907 at 102 The Brook, Chatham; died May 16th, 1983 at Oakwood Hospital, Maidstone
f.2.3.6.1.9 Edward Cooper born September 20th 1909 at Chatham; died Oct-December 1973 at Chatham
f.2.3.6.1.10 Mary Cooper born Oct-December 1911 at Chatham
f.2.3.6.1.11 Violet Cooper born November 9th, 1914 at Chatham; died July-September 1997 at Chatham