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Briscoe Hooper [Obituary]

Trans. Devon. Assoc., vol.  46, (1914), pp. 42-43

by

Maxwell Adams (Ed.)

Prepared by Michael Steer

The obituary was read at the Association’s July 1914 Tavistock meeting. In mid-late 19th century Torquay, the foundations of what eventually became the English Riviera were laid. In 1868, the partnership of Hooper and Wollen, Solicitors was formed. The firm still exists as “Wollens, Full Perspective Law” with an informative history page. At its foundation stage, partners Briscoe and Grant would have been heavily involved with the wealthy landed gentry who were about to shape Torquay’s future. Mr Hooper’s impressive portrait hangs in Torquay Town Hall. A copy may be accessed at artuk.  There is a window in St Matthias Church Torwood in memory of Briscoe Hooper, father of Henry Dundee Hooper, 'for 38 years legal adviser to the town'. The window depicts Moses with the Ten Commandments and John Hooper, Bishop of Gloucester, who suffered martyrdom at the stake in 1555. The obituary, from a copy of a rare and much sought-after journal can be downloaded from the Internet Archive. Google has sponsored the digitisation of books from several libraries. These books, on which copyright has expired, are available for free educational and research use, both as individual books and as full collections to aid researchers.

Mr. Hooper was born at Bristol in 1830 and was the son of Mr. Richard Hooper by Mary his wife (nee Hope) and was of the family of the "Martyr Bishop Hooper." He was admitted to the legal profession in 1846 at the age of sixteen, first as articled clerk and then as conveyancer, with a firm of solicitors at Bristol, and had much to do with railway work when it was extended to the West of England, and was a friend of Brunei, Forbes, and other great railway men. In 1856, he came to reside in Torquay and became a partner with Mr. Charles Bayly, who died in 1857. In that year Mr. Hooper was appointed solicitor to the Local Board; and in 1867, Clerk to the Board, which appointment he held till 1889. He retained the position of legal adviser to the Local Board from 1889 to 1892, when that body ceased to exist, and he was then elected Borough Solicitor to the Town Council, which succeeded the Local Board. He deter- mined his official connection with the town on 1 November, 1894. During his long service of thirty-eight years he was instrumental in and identified with many undertakings which tended to the advantage of the town, such as the Tottiford Waterworks and the main drainage scheme, and the acquisition of the various pleasure grounds and walks by the town authorities.
On the death of Mr. Bayly in 1857, Mr. Hooper was joined by Mr. J. W. Grant Wollen as partner, and of late years his son, Mr. H. Dundee Hooper and Mr. Wollen’s son, Mr. Cecil Wollen, have been his partners, but Mr. Briscoe Hooper continued in active private practice to the day of his death, retaining a wonderful memory and acumen which caused him to have a very large and confidential clientele.
In the early "sixties" he became connected with the volunteer movement and rose to the command of the Torquay Artillery Volunteers, which he held for some years.
He joined the Association in 1872 and took a great interest in its work, as well as in the county of his adoption and the town in which he resided.
Mr. Hooper married in 1858 Antonia, only daughter of Capt. Edward Dundee, 47th Foot, and by her had one son. He died suddenly of heart failure on 2 June, 1914, at his residence Bournbrook, at the age of eighty-four years.