Sir Godfrey Copley, 2nd Baronet

For Sir Godfrey Copley, 1st Baronet, see Copley Baronets.

Sir Godfrey Copley, 2nd Baronet FRS (c. 1653 – 9 April 1709) was a wealthy English landowner, art-collector and public figure, who lived in Sprotbrough, now part of Doncaster in South Yorkshire.

Copley was the son of Sir Godfrey Copley (1623–1677), who was created baronet by King Charles II in 1661, and he succeeded to his father's title in 1678. In 1677 he had immediately followed his father as High Sheriff of Yorkshire.

He was elected a member of the Royal Society in 1691. He is remembered mainly because he provided a bequest to the society in London in 1709, which provided the funding for an annual award, the Copley Medal, the Society's premier award for scientific achievement. It is Britain's oldest scientific honour, a prestigious forerunner of the Nobel Prize, "in trust for the Royal Society of London for improving natural knowledge."

He served as Member of Parliament for Aldborough from 1679 to 1685 and for Thirsk from 1695 to 1709, and also served as commissioner of public accounts and controller of the accounts of the army.

Copley was a major landowner in Nottinghamshire and South Yorkshire, holding lands in Sprotborough, Newton, Cusworth, Cadeby, Wildthorpe, Loversall, Doncaster, Bentley and Warmsworth, among other places. Copley's daughter Ann married Emanuel Mote of High Melton, Gent. Through his daughter's marriage, Copley was related to the Levett family of High Melton and York, with whom he had extensive real estate dealings.

He died in 1709 and was buried at Sprotborough. he had married twice: firstly Catherine, daughter of John Pucell of Natribia, Montgomeryshire (they had one daughter, Catherine) and secondly Gertrude, daughter of Sir John Carew of Anthony, Cornwall.

External links

• Pedigree of Copley of Sprotborough

Parliament of England
Preceded by Sir John Reresby, Bt Henry Arthington	Member of Parliament for Aldborough 1679–1685 With: Henry Arthington 1679 Sir Brian Stapylton, Bt 1679–1681< Sir John Reresby, Bt 1681–1685	Succeeded by Sir Michael Wentworth Sir Roger Strickland
Preceded by Thomas Frankland Richard Staines	Member of Parliament for Thirsk 1695 – 1707 With: Richard Staines 1695–1698 Sir Thomas Frankland, Bt from 1698	Succeeded by Parliament of Great Britain
Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by Parliament of England	Member of Parliament for Thirsk 1707 – 1809 With: Sir Thomas Frankland, Bt	Succeeded by Sir Thomas Frankland, Bt Leonard Smelt
Baronetage of England
Preceded by Godfrey Copley	Baronet (of Sprotborough) 1678–1709	Extinct