Biographical sketch: Church of England clergyman and author, William Sterry-Cooper was born in the late 19^th century. He studied at Lichfield Theological College, England and won a university theological scholarship to Durham where he was senior student in 1911. He graduated from Hatfield College, Durham with a B.A. (classics and history) and an M.A. (constitutional history) in 1912 and 1925 respectively. Ordained to the priesthood about 1912, he served in parishes in a number of communities including, Bromwich (1912-1915), Walsall (1915-1917), Stoke-on-Trent (1920-1923), Cradley (1923-1929), Droitwich (1929-1936), and Elmbridge and Rushock (1936-1951). Between 1917 and 1920 he served as an army chaplain in France with the Fifth Corps. Keenly interested in church schools, he was Governor of Saltley Training College for over 20 years.

In the early1940s W. Sterry-Cooper combined his interest in religion and local history, undertaking serious research into the life and activities of Pilgrim Father Edward Winslow (1595-1655), a native of Droitwich, Worcestershire, England. During the course of his research Sterry-Cooper visited and contacted record offices, libraries, museums and other repositories in England and elsewhere and corresponded with several descendants of Edward Winslow living in England, the United States and Canada. His activities culminated in the production of a number of essays and articles, which appeared in newspapers, pamphlets and other forms and in a 67-page book, Edward Winslow, published in 1953. Sterry-Cooper planned to produce a longer, more scholarly work on the Pilgrim Fathers and Edward Winslow, but it was never completed. During the 1950s, he was involved in several projects to honour Edward Winslow and the Mayflower Pilgrims. The Rev. W. Sterry-Cooper was living in England in 1959.

Sources:
"Leaving early next year", Droitwich Guardian, 21 December 1951
Letter, the Rev. W. Sterry Cooper to John Douglas Winslow, 27 May 1952
Letter, the Rev. W. Sterry Cooper to D. Kenelm Winslow, 7 August 1951

Custodial history: The materials comprising this fonds were transferred from the Rev. W. Sterry-Cooper or his estate to E. T. Winslow, a descendant of Edward Winslow, between 1959 and 1963.

Scope and content: This fonds reflects W. Sterry-Cooper's work as an author and researcher, particularly with respect to his study of Edward Winslow and the Mayflower Pilgrims. It also documents his activities in connection with the planning, holding or commissioning of commemorative plaques, church services, and other public events to honour Edward Winslow and the Pilgrims of 1620.

This fonds consists of 5 series:

1. Correspondence
2. Manuscripts, typescripts and research materials
3. Printed and published material
4. Transcripts
5. Photographs, cartographic material and architectural drawings

It includes incoming and outgoing correspondence; research notes; drafts of essays, articles, book chapters and sermons; and transcripts of 17^th century documents and printed material. The fonds also contains a number of printed pamphlets and leaflets relating to Winslow history and Winslow memorials; hand-drawn maps of Colonial America, probably by Sterry-Cooper; professional drawings of memorial plaques honoring Edward Winslow; and photographs, including those of the Winslow farmhouse (Kempsey) and of Edward Winslow's portrait.

Title based on the name of the creator

This fonds was deposited with the archives of the Bonar Law-Bennett Library, University of New Brunswick by E.T. Winslow of British Columbia between 1 July 1962 and 30 June 1963.

Archives and Special Collections also houses the Winslow papers, dating to the time of the American Revolution and the Loyalist migration to British North America.