John Cope 1673-1749

Sir John COPE, 6th bart 1673-1749

Cope's bookplate (British Museum Franks Collection 6819)

Biographical Note

Son of Sir John Cope, 5th bart, of Hanwell, Oxfordshire. Matriculated at Oriel College, Oxford 1689, but did not graduate; he subsequently travelled in Europe. In 1700 he bought the estate of Bramshill, Hampshire; he was elected MP for Plympton Erle in 1705 and held various constituencies thereafter, through to the early 1740s. He was a Director of the Bank of England, 1706-21.

Books

Cope used an engraved armorial bookplate (Franks 6819); the extent of his library is not known. His will has no mention of books; the main family estates and title passed to his eldest son Monoux Cope, 7th bart, while he directed that his wife should inherit all the residue of his personal estate.

Sources

• Will of Sir John Cope, The National Archives PROB 11/775/323
• History of Parliament.
• Gambier Howe, E. R. J. Franks bequest: catalogue of British and American book plates bequeathed to the ... British Museum. London, 1903.