| Admin_History | Fr Patrick Cooper SJ was born 4 June, 1931 at Streatham Hill and lived his early life in Clapham, London before settling in Wimbledon with his parents. For his formal education he went to Manresa College, Roehampton to complete his Novitiate, followed by a year’s Juniorate. He later studied Philosophy at Heythrop for two years, before returning to Manresa College to complete his third year of the course and pedagogy. He also read Classics at London University. He was ordained at Heythrop College in Oxfordshire on 31 July 1963. Fr Cooper’s formal career began in 1955, starting at the age of 24, teaching at Saint Francis Xavier School, Liverpool. Fr Cooper adopted various duties within this profession, including teaching in the Lower and Middle schools, driving the college van, and acting as Spiritual Adviser to the students in the college. Throughout his career, Fr Cooper received many titles, the first of which being the Sixth Form Master, then Deputy Headmaster and then later becoming the Headmaster. He also became Master of two Jesuit schools in St. George’s College, Salisbury, Rhodesia (now Harare, Zimbabwe) and St. Francis Xavier’s College.
During his time as a teacher Fr Cooper received much admiration from his students, who reported that he had a profound affect on their spirituality, evident through charitable undertakings. Following his unexpected death on 27 September 1980 the Wimbledon Borough News made a publication in Fr Cooper’s honour, stating that over 1,000 past students and faculty attended his funeral which was held at the Sacred Heart Church in Edge Hill. His lasting memory is evident through a monstrance being designed in his honour and the libraries and research centres in Wimbledon being dedicated in his memory. |