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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Wellington Provincial District]
Cooper, James Cowel
Cooper, James Cowel, Customhouse, Shipping, Forwarding, and General Commission Agent, 20 Gray Street. Telephone 568. Bankers, Bank of Australasia. London Agents, Forbes, Forbes and Co.; Liverpool Agents, Edward Bates and Sons. Mr. Cooper is a native of Halifax. Yorkshire, England. He had but little education, and very early in life chose the sea for a profession, and on his 13th birthday was in Bombay. He subsequently visited many parts of the world, including California (in the days of the gold fever) and the Arctic Ocean, where he spent two winters as quarter-master in the American navy while that country was surveying Alaska. In 1863 or 1864 he came to New Zealand, per ship “John Bunyan,” from London, and, excluding two trips to England, has made Wellington his home ever since. In July, 1870, he obtained his master's certificate. For twelve years he was on the permanent staff of the Queen's Wharf. One of his principal pursuits is the purchase of wrecks. For the past twenty years he has been the buyer of almost every wreck in this locality, and has usually been successful. He holds a license issued by the Government as shipping agent for the port of Wellington. Mr. Cooper has special customers in all parts of the Colony. He makes a specialty of importing plants and flowers of rare beauty from Japan, and was the first to develop this trade. He has a special buyer for this purpose. Mr. Cooper disposes of these choice goods by periodical auction sales in various parts of this Colony.