It is difficult to present topics specifically about Henfield or it's people, as limited research has been done to date, but this talk by Don Cox (Vice Chairman, Sussex Industrial Archaeological Society; Chairman, Sussex Mills) was particularly relevant and involved a fair amount of animated participation from the audience.

William Cooper was born in Hertingfordbury, Hertford, in 1824 to William Cooper Snr and Mary Cobham (married 1820). In 1845 he married Harriet Lutman (whose father had a mill in the area) in Shedfield, Hampshire, where their first four children (William, Mary Ann, Henry and Emily) were born. By 1854 William and Harriet were living in Henfield where the following five children were born: Caroline, Isabella, Ashley, Beulah, and Lorna. No accurate reason can be given as to why they moved to Sussex.

Coopers Yard in the High Street was used to produce iron castings out of cast iron, sometimes structural supports (as in the case of Horsham Town Mill) but mainly engineering components for the mill itself. The first mill to bear his name was Woods Mill at Small Dole (Neal & Cooper, 1854), and other mills which show evidence of his work include Ruckford, Ashurst, West Chiltington, Jack at Clayton, Cobbs, Hammonds, Steyning and Cuckfield.

In 1871 an incident occurred in which Henry Cooper shot his father, William. The following article  is taken from the  West Sussex Gazette dated 4th March, 1869: SUPPOSED ATTEMPTED MURDER OF A FATHER AT HENFIELD - The pretty little town of Henfield was thrown into a state of alarm last week, at the report of the attempted murder of Mr. William Cooper, a machinist and agricultural implement maker of that place ... Henry Cooper, the son who is accused of the crime is 19 years of age, and he recently joined the 18th Sussex Rifle Volunteers. After the drill on Wednesday night of last week, he was allowed to take his rifle home for the first time. It appears that the young  man had purchased some powder, and just as his father was leaving his workshop at 9.10 p.m. a rifle was shot off and the ramrod entered the shoulder of the unfortunate victim.The report of a rifle was heard by Mr. West, chemist, and the shout of "murder" and "help, help" followed. Immediately afterwards the prisoner, dressed in his volunteer uniform, but without hat, came running down from the direction of his father's yard. On seeing West standing at his door, he came across and said "Oh, I am lost! I am lost!". He put his rifle down, and leaned his head on his hand. On being questioned, he said, "A man knocked me down, stunned me, and took my cap and rifle, loaded it, and shot my father". He shortly afterwards went home. Mr. Cooper, senior, was at once assisted to the house of Mr. Caudle, surgeon, and afterwards to his private residence about 300 yards from his workshop, and every attention was paid to him. The ramrod after it had passed through the shoulder of the unfortunate man, struck the bannister in the workshop and fell against the wall on the opposite side. It was picked up afterwards broken. Mr. Cooper could not see who it was fired the shot, but suspicion was at once attached to the son whose cap was found close by. The next morning the son was taken into custody on suspicion. The wound of the father has not proved fatal. He bore the setting of the limb with great courage at first; but since that time he has not been quite so well. Although the deed seems to have been premeditated, there does not appear to have been any case for so singular and dastardly an act. A report had been spread that the son had formed an acquaintance with a girl of which the father had disapproved, but this is not supposed to be correct."

Henry Cooper was subsequently sentenced to 20 years penal servitude at Lewes Assizes. Sadly, William never regained full health and died in 1876.  With the help of Robert Fowler (Manager), Harriet continued the business for some years, until eventually returning to Hampshire, where she is buried. Robert Fowler took over from her when she left Henfield. In 1905 the buildings were sold to Mr. Tobitt, who used them for storage, and they were finally knocked down in the 1960s.

A search on the internet indicates that William Cooper was also active outside of Sussex. He was involved in the building or restoration of BUCKLAND WINDMILL, near Reigate, Surrey, and there are possibly others.
Other related sites include the Mills Section of THE SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF ANCIENT BUILDINGS; and a site on JACK MILL at Clayton.

UPDATE ON HENRY COOPER (from research conducted by Julia Dew, Hon. Secretary of Henfield History Group, April 2002) - Fortunately for Henry (who was sentenced to 20 years penal servitude in 1869 at Lewes Assizes for the attempted murder of his father), the transportation of convicts to Australia ceased in 1868.  A return made by the County Treasurer to the court of quarter sessions of the costs of conveying convicts indicates that Henry was sent with three other prisoners from Petworth Prison to the Prisons at Millbank (on the site of the Tate Gallery) and Pentonville by rail, cab and fly, accompanied by three officers, at a cost of £3 16s 5d on 12^th August 1869. The return does not make clear to which prison Henry was delivered.

The 1881 census lists Henry Cooper, convict, at H.M. Convict Prison, Chatham, Kent. The given age is 29 (which is one year younger than our Henry - who was christened in 1851), and the birth place is given as    Winchester, Hampshire (rather than Shedfield, Hampshire) … but I don't suppose the census enumerator actually  asked the convicts themselves for the accurate information! While I am unable to prove beyond doubt that this is our Henry, I am fairly certain that it is. Unfortunately, I am at present unable to ascertain the date of his release from prison, or trace his whereabouts in the 1891 census.