Person

Arthur Charles Hopper was born on 21-Aug-1878 in Whickham. He was the son of Andrew Hopper (1840-1915) and Emma Jane Thompson (1841-1913). His father , a farmer, was originally from Ireland while his mother was from Dunston and was the daughter of James Thompson (1801-1876) a waterman. Arthur’s parents were married in 1860 and by the 1911 census 15 children had been born of which nine were still living.

At the 1891 census, Arthur was living at Dunston East and his father’s occupation was described as dairy cow keeper. In 1891, the census shows him staying with his sister Grace Agnes Brown and her family at Brown’s Boat House in Durham. There appears to have been a long and close relationship between the Hopper family and the Brown family who built boats and operated pleasure boats on the River Wear in Durham.

Arthur married Jane Golightly (1878-1936) in 1898. She was also known by the first name Jennie. She was the daughter of John Golightly (b. 1850) a marine engineer from Dunston. Their first child Richard Grenville was born in 1901 and when he was three months old he was shown in the census as living with his mother and her parents in Gateshead. Arthur, meanwhile, was living with his family at Baldwin Flatts Farm in Dunston and his occupation is recorded as an engine fitter. By the time of the 1911 census, three more children had been born (Arthur Donovan in 1903, Iris Eileen in 1904 and Ivy Constance in 1906) and the family were living at 2 Gunn Street, Dunston. Arthur was now recorded as working as a motor fitter.

At some point between the 1911 census and 1917 the entire family moved to London to live in 2 Churton Place, Belgravia, London. The reason for this move is not known but on 29-Jul-1915 Arthur joined the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) for the duration of hostilities. His civilian occupation is recorded as engineer on his RNAS record. He was given the service number F7069 and the rank of Air Mechanic 1st class. He spent his first eight month’s service at Crystal Palace before being posted to RNAS Kingsnorth located at the south eastern coast of the Hoo Peninsula in Kent, where he spent the rest of the war. Kingsnorth was an experimental and training station for airships which moved on to large scale production of airships including experimental prototypes.

Arthur was promoted to the rank of Leading Mechanic on 15-Dec-1916 and further promoted to Petty Officer Mechanic on 01-Nov-1917. He was serving in this rank when the RNAS became part of the newly formed Royal Air Force on 01-Apr-1918. His service number was updated to 207069 and he was given the rank in the RAF of Sergeant Mechanic his equivalent rank in the new service. Before the war ended he had one further promotion to Chief Mechanic on 26-Aug-1918 when he had been serving for just over three years.

Arthur left the service on 12-Sep-1919 when he was transferred to the RAF G Reserve. His discharge address was 41 Forthbridge Road, Clapham Common, London. Arthur and his wife and children are shown continuing to live at this address on London Electoral Rolls until 1935. Jennie died in 1936, and Arthur the following year in 1937.

Arthur Charles Hopper was awarded the British War Medal for his service in World War One.

Civil Parish: Whickham

Birth date: 21-Aug-1878

Armed force/civilian: Air Force

Residence: Dunston East (1881 census)
Brown’s Boat House, Durham City (1891 census)
Baldwin Flatts Farm, Dunston (1901 census)
2 Gunn Street, Dunston (1911 census)
2 Churton Place, Belgravia, London (unknown date RAF record)
41 Forthbridge Road, Clapham Common, London (RAF Record and 1918-34 Electoral Registers)

Family: Wife: Jane Golightly
Offspring: Richard Grenville Hopper, Arthur Donovan Hopper, Iris Eileen Hopper and Ivy Constance Hopper

Military service:

Enlisted in Royal Naval Air Service, F7069, Air Mechanic 1st class, 29-Jul-1915
Promoted to Leading Mechanic, 15-Dec-1916
Promoted to Petty Officer Mechanic, 01-Nov-1917
Transferred to Royal Air Force, 207069, Sergeant Mechanic, 01-Apr-1918
Promoted to Chief Mechanic, 26-Aug-1918
Discharged to RAF G Reserve 12-Sep-1919

Gender: Male

Contributed by David D, Stanley, Co Durham