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Grace Cooper was the granddaughter of Robert Hurrell, and niece of Percy Robert Hurrell who was killed in Gaza.
At the time of the 1939 Survey, Grace then aged 16, was living with her parents on Wymondham Road (Red Barn Farm) and looking for work.
Presentation with MBE
Wymondham and Attleborough Mercury
The following article and photo appeared in The Wymondham and Attleborough Mercury of Friday, August 5th 1983:-
MISS GRACE COOPER, secretary at the Norfolk Agricultural Station, near Wymondham, for 32 years, received her MBE award at Buckingham Palace last week.
She was among a number of people attending the investiture, and though her meeting with the Queen was brief, she said it was a memorable occasion for her.
The Queen asked her what work she did, and she replied that she worked in agriculture. In fact Miss Cooper, who lives by the NAS at Deopham Road, Morley St. Botolph, has been the dedicated secretary to the station for 32 years.
She lived at Dereham when she first took up an appointment in the days when the station was at Sprowston.
When it moved to its present location in 1965, she was one of those responsible for seeing its smooth transfer to Morley, as station secretary.
Miss Cooper said this week that her work kept her fully occupied and she had little time for other interests, though she did sometimes help with the church fete.
The Wymondham and Attleborough Express
The following article and photo appeared in The Wymondham and Attleborough Express of July 29th 1983:-
NORFOLK Agricultural Station secretary Grace Cooper received her reward for 32 years’ service on Tuesday when she received the M.B.B. from the Queen at Buckingham Palace.
Miss Cooper, 60, who lives next door to the station in Deopham Road, Morley St Botolph, told the Express that she first heard of her award when she received a letter from 10 Downing Street several weeks ago.
“It was totally out of the blue and I didn’t know what I had done to deserve it,” she said.
She went down to London by train on Monday, staying overnight in the capital before her big day. Once in the Palace, Miss Cooper was one of many people to receive an award.
“The Queen was smaller than I thought she would be, and she asked me about my work,” she said.
Then after all the excitement she caught the train home and was back at work on Wednesday to tell her 20 colleagues all about her trip.
Although she has now reached retiring age Miss Cooper said she had no intention of calling it a day just yet: “I’m very happy here and intend to carry on for a while yet,” she said.
With thanks to Grace Cooper’s daughter who forwarded a copy of these articles via Elaine Peacock.
Churchyard Memorial
The headstone in the churchyard at location B60 reads:
“Called to rest 16th September 2012 Aged 89 years.
An interesting life and a much loved mum.”
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| Date | Change |
|---|---|
| 26/12/24 | Published |
Deopham History 