The image for today’s blog showed the 1851 English census, where Justinian Cooper was listed as being 76 years old. What was rather startling was his occupation as it told of him being a ‘Pauper late Farmer’!
By studying Justinian’s life, there surfaced some shocking developments. Circa 1849, Justinian seemed to have an auction sale thrust upon him for some debt resolution. Newspaper ads also told of more debt settlement action in February 1850.
Ironically, circa 1804 and 1805, Justinian was a benefactor in the Wills of his father and uncle. Approximate calculations for Justinian’s benefit should have netted him well in excess of 1300 pounds! In his era such a sum should have set him up for life and all he had to do was simply manage the money and take care of it. Perhaps he made some investments that didn’t turn out profitably for him. We’ll likely never know the details but one has to feel sorry for him.
