Eleanor Harris is researching the 430 individuals who appear in the registers of Charlotte Episcopal Chapel, Edinburgh, 1794-1818. James Lundin Cooper of Kirkcaldy, and his unfortunate bride Sarah Brown, were amongst them...
In 1816, twenty-five-year-old James Lundin Cooper brought his bride
Sarah Brown to Edinburgh to be married by Bishop Daniel Sandford in the
stylish Charlotte Chapel. He was a writer in Kirkcaldy and she was the
daughter of a local merchant. He appears a few years later practising
his profession, administering the estate of a bankrupt businessman in
Kirkcaldy.
Cooper was an ambitious man, and not content to remain merely a
provincial lawyer he sought his fortune in business. By 1830 he was
manager of the Kirkcaldy and London Shipping Company, which ran three
ships and employed three Captains, rejoicing in the names of Moir,
Morison and Mann. As the leading Manager (or vestryman) of the Episcopal
Chapel in Kirkcaldy, he successfully charmed the energetic, young and
dedicated priest Mr Marshall into replacing their decrepit old
incumbent, even though the chapel could only offer a paltry £20 stipend.
Meanwhile his family prospered: Sarah bore him three chidren,
Elizabeth, Michael and Mary.
It quickly became clear to Rev Marshall, however, that Cooper and his
fellow managers were running a racket, giving themselves huge discounts
on seat-rents, keeping Marshall's salary low, and 'finding it convenient
that the clause should fall into disuse' which stipulated that the
whole congregation should choose their managers annually, preferring
instead to appoint themselves for life.
When the priest tried to rectify the situation, the managers went to the
bishop, accusing Marshall of immorality, neglect of duty, and (when
this didn't work), insanity. This was a great mistake: Marshall was
well-respected, and eloquent clergy weighed in to defend his character
from this evident nonsense. Cooper, one of them reported, 'had the
modesty to offer evidence to Bishop Torry that Mr Marshall is (or was)
insane, and in his hand writing came forth a document in which that gentleman was charged with
going to a theatre and dining out.'
Cooper, who had been the man of education and status amongst the
merchants and shoemakers on the vestry, was made to look very foolish by
being represented in the lead actor in this farce.
Whereas other managers left the Episcopal Church altogether and began
attending the Kirk -- although they still made a point of turning up to
collect the contents of the collection plate, and chattering and
laughing in the porch during Mr Marshall's service -- James does appear
to have put his head down and attempted to make amends with the priest.
But it was too late. Whether it was divine judgement, the discrediting
of his character, bad luck or similarly bad judgement in his business
dealings, Cooper went bankrupt in 1836. In 1838 his daughters Elizabeth
and Mary died, and the following year James himself went to his grave.
His teenage son Michael only outlived him by two years. I don't know
what happened to Sarah. Perhaps she remarried.
One could take various morals from this story. I suppose the first might
be, don't accuse your priest of insanity if you meet him at the
theatre.
Eleanor Harris.
