Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of John Copeland, a hosiery trade rib frame worker, born 1853 in Hinckley, Leics., and his wife, Clara Copeland (nee Mayne), born 1861 in Hinckley, Leics. John was born in 1898 in Hinckley, Leics., his siblings were, Ada, a hosiery trade stitcher, born 1877, William, born 1889 and George, born 1891, all his siblings were born in Hinckley, Leics., in March 1901 the family home was at Leicester Road, Hinckley, Leics. In April 1911 John was residing in the family home at 14, Leicester Road, Hinckley, Leics., together with his widowed mother and siblings, Ada, William, a grocer’s assistant and George a gasworks clerk.