James COPPIN was born circa 1814 at Kent, England.
Charlotte DENCE was born in 1817 at Kent, England.
Charlotte DENCE married James COPPIN on 14 May 1837 at St. James (Church) Sheldwich, Kent, England

James COPPIN, along with his wife Charlotte and family left from Southampton, England on 2 Mar 1856 on the ship 'Gomelza' bound for South Australia. They arrived at Port Adelaide, South Australia on the 10th June 1856. The "Gomelza" was the 10th ship from England to South Australia with government passengers for 1856. There were 244 immigrants on board.

On board the "Gomelza" was:
James COPPIN, age 41, brickmaker, Sittingbourne, Kent, with family
Charlotte COPPIN, age 37 (his wife)
Their children Charlotte 12, Amelia 10 and James A. (Alfred) 6yrs
Thomas COPPIN, aged 17, labourer from Sittingbourne, Kent, 'with family' (under 'Single Men')
Jane Eliza COPPIN, aged 15, servant, Sittingbourne, Kent, 'with family' (under 'Single Women')

There is no record of an Anne (Ann or Annie) COPPIN travelling to South Australia with the family on the "Gomelza", or any other ship. There was however an Ann DEUCE age 20 from Kent, Servant, listed under 'Single Female'. Neither the 1841 or 1851 England, Wales & Scotland Census shows an Ann DEUCE from Kent. Given that there were often spelling errors on the ship logs at the time, or the possibility that there was a transcription error, and given that Ann COPPIN was listed on the 1841 Census as Anne DENCE, I assume that this was our Ann COPPIN.

After their arrival in Port Adelaide, they travelled to the Little Hampton area where James, with the assistance of several of the children, established a brickmaking business during 1856. Whilst there were several people making bricks in the area before James, this brickyard is believed to be the first 'proper' brickyard in the hills, predating the Watt's brickyard at Native Valley (near Nairne) by about two years. James and several of the children had worked in brickyards back in England and quickly developed a reputation for a good quality product.

James died 27th January 1866 (52yrs), not quite ten years later. The business was taken on by his son James Alfred COPPIN, who was 16 years old at the time. The company stayed in family hands and continued production until 1935. Charlotte died on 20th April 1898. They are both buried at St. James Church, Blakiston.

Children of James COPPIN & Charlotte DENCE
1. Ann COPPIN (Anne DENCE) baptized 15 Mar 1835 at Selling, Kent m. Stephen Childs HOUGHTON
on 4 Dec 1858 at Wesleyan Chapel, Mount Barker 2. Thomas COPPIN b. 30 Dec 1837, Sheldwick, Kent m. Margaret (Margaretta) GIBBS
3. Jane Eliza COPPIN b. 1840 (3rd quarter) at Milton, Kent m. Henry MELLOWSHIP
4. Charlotte COPPIN baptised 13 Aug 1843 at Sittingbourne, Kent m. John PROSSER
5. Amelia COPPIN baptised 21 Dec 1845 at Sittingbourne, Kent m. George Edward BOLTO
6. James Alfred COPPIN b. 31 May 1849, Sittingbourne, Kent m. Louisa Lucretia WATTS
7. Moses George COPPIN b. 9 Mar 1858, Littlehampton d. 26 Jul 1875 (17yrs) - perhaps of measles
8. Henry COPPIN b. 14 Feb 1861, Littlehampton m. Fanny Sophia WOOLEY