(36)  Charles Edward deRoscoff Copinger

The eldest son of Herbert Edward Copinger and a twin to his sister Hilda Jean, Charles Edward deRoscoff was born on 18th August 1879.  He was educated at Hurstpierpoint College, Sussex and Hatfield Hall, Durham University.  He was subsequently ordained as a Church of England Deacon on 10th June 1906 and as a Priest on 26th May 1907, both in St. Paul's Cathedral.

On 9th June 1914 Charles married, in the Richmond district, Mary Dorothy Violet Cummings the eldest daughter of Rev. Charles Edward Cummings.  She was born on 12th August 1882 and was descended from the Rolle family of Devon.  Through the Rolle family she was a descendant of King Edward I and his second wife, Margaret, daughter of King Philip III of France.  She died on 19th April 1972. 

Charles and Dorothy had three children, Monica Mary born at The Hyde, Hendon, NW9 in 1915, Priscilla Joan born in Smytham, Little Torrington, Devon in 1918 and Michael John born at The Red House, Roe Green, Kingsbury, NW9, in 1921.

Charles first became curate of St. John's, West Hendon and then of St. Margaret's-on-Thames.  He was then appointed London Diocesan Home Missionary in charge of St. Mellitus at Hendon.  He was the first vicar of St. Alphage in Hendon which, because of his qualities of leadership, was made one of the major training parishes of the Diocese of London.  Here he had three curates in the posts of priest, two deacons and three deaconesses. Further posts held by Charles were Chaplain to R.A.F. Hendon, on two separate occasions, Chaplain to Redhill Hospital, Edgware, Colindale Hospital and to the Hendon Union Workhouse and Schools.  His final post was as Rector of the Parish Church, Little Hadham, Hertfordshire where he was also became the Chairman of the Governors of the local school. Charles died on 5th June 1942. 

The following entry appeared in Crockford's Clerical Directory dated 1941.

COPINGER, Charles Edward de Roscoff. - Hatf. Hall, Dur. 1902. d 1906, p 1907 Lon. C. of St. John's, W. Hendon, 1906-12; St. Margaret's-on-Thames 1912-14; L.D.H.M. of St. Mellitus, Hendon, 1914-24; Offg. Chap. R.A.F. Hendon 1917-20 and 1927-36; Chap. Colindale Hosp. 1920-26; Hendon U. 1915-36; Redhill Hosp. 1927-36; I of St. Alphage, Hendon, 1924-27; V. 1927-36; R. of L. Hadham, Dio. St. Alb. from 1936. (P, Bp of Lon; T.R. 799l w Gl. val. 3l; Fees 8l; e.o. 10l; Gross and Net Inc. 821l and Ho; Pop. 661.) Little Hadham Rectory, Herts. (Tel. Albury 235.)

Copinger Walk and Roscoff Close in Edgware, London  were subsequently named after him.

Of the daughters, Monica was educated at St. Margaret's School, Hampstead where her Aunt, Hilda Jean Copinger, was the headmistress.  She subsequently trained as a Froebel teacher of small children and taught for thirteen years.  She had a variety of other jobs including being the Organising Secretary of the Nature Care Clinic, in London.  Monica was married in 1975 to Ted Cox who died in 1977.  Throughout her life Monica has both drawn and painted, a bit of a talent for which she says was inherited from her mother.  In 1984 she had an exhibition, with another artist, at the Conway Hall, London at which she sold some drawings, sketches and paintings.

Priscilla, the younger daughter, was also educated at her Aunt's school, St. Margaret's, Hampstead, and took a course at her Domestic Science College when her schooling was finished.

At the outbreak of war in 1939 Pricilla immediately joined the Women's Auxiliary Air Force (W.A.A.F.) and, having her father's gift of leadership, was very soon commissioned.  She served in both Fighter Command and Bomber Command, and was mentioned in despatches.  She stayed in the W.A.A.F. after the war was over and, as a Wing Officer, she became the senior W.A.A.F. Inspecting Officer for R.A.F. Transport Command.  She was being groomed to take the top W.A.A.F. officer's job in the R.A.F. when she resigned to get married in 1952 to Wing Commander James Herbert Sydney Broughton, D.F.C., A.F.C.  Twin sons, Simon and Timothy, were born in 1954.  James left the R.A.F. in 1963 to become ordained priest, working in the Norwich Diocese, where he died in 1976.  Priscilla died at Morston in Norfolk in 1980.

The youngest member of the family, Michael John, is dealt with in a later chapter.