ABOUT DAVID COOPER

ABOUT DAVID COOPER

Born in York in 1944 David Cooper describes himself as a veteran advertising, marketing, and public relations consultant with a hint of local historian.

Educated at York School of Art in Graphic Design he lived in London in the sixties and made his way to Wolverhampton via Birmingham arriving in 1974. His career included senior executive positions with automotive giant Chrysler and as a Director of Wolverhampton based industrial services specialist Andrews Group plc. The company sponsored Russell Brookes, twice British Rally Champion.

For over 20 years he managed his own, award winning marketing and public relations
consultancy with offices in Wolverhampton serving many blue-chip UK companies such as Bovis Construction, Tarmac-Carillion, P&O Properties, and IM Group. David was president of Birmingham Publicity Association in 1986/87.

In retirement from business, under the moniker of One Foot in the Past, his enthusiasm
for industrial archaeology and local history has become priority. He has published works
lodged in The British Library and Wolverhampton City Archives focussing on the legacy of Wolverhampton based Sunbeam Cars, Springfield Brewery, and AJS Motorcycles.

His role as Chairman of Wolverhampton Racing Cycling Club, established in 1938
led to producing a DVD on the life of Wolverhampton born racing cyclist Percy Stallard –
who became known as the father of cycle road racing in Britain in 1942. David’s contribution to the social and industrial heritage of Wolverhampton is an audio CD of voices from the past all associated with the Sunbeam car factory. It includes former workers who helped build four world land speed record breaking cars in the 1920’s.

In 2015 he became a correspondent for the Black Country Bugle weekly heritage
newspaper which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2022.

He lives in Wolverhampton in a property built in 1931 for Albert Jack Stevens (AJS) the man who gave the name to AJS motorcycles. The Wolverhampton based company founded in 1894 became a major force in motorcycle racing in addition to manufacturing cars, buses and commercial vehicles in seven factories across the city.