Charles Purton Cooper facts for kids

Charles Purton Cooper (1793–1873) was an English lawyer and a person who studied old things (an antiquary). He was known for his work in law and for collecting old documents and books.

Who Was Charles Purton Cooper?

Charles Purton Cooper was a very smart student. He went to Wadham College, Oxford University. In 1814, he achieved "double first-class honours," which means he got the highest possible grades in two different subjects. He earned his first degree (B.A.) in 1814 and his master's degree (M.A.) in 1817.

After university, he became a lawyer. He joined a famous legal society called Lincoln's Inn in 1816. He worked as an "equity draughtsman," which means he helped write legal documents for cases where fairness was the main concern, not just strict rules.

Becoming a Top Lawyer

In 1837, Charles Purton Cooper was made a Queen's Counsel (QC). This is a special title given to experienced lawyers who are recognized for their skills. It means they can advise the Queen (or King) on legal matters. He also became the Queen's chief lawyer for the Duchy of Lancaster, a special area of land owned by the British monarch.

He was very keen on making the law better and easier to understand. This caught the attention of Lord Brougham, a powerful politician. Lord Brougham made Cooper the secretary of the second Record Commission. This group was in charge of collecting and printing important historical records. Cooper was so enthusiastic that he printed many books, and the commission spent more money than Parliament had allowed!

Charles Purton Cooper was a successful lawyer, but he had a disagreement with a judge, which affected his reputation. He also tried to get the government to help him organize all the existing law reports, but he didn't succeed. Later in life, he moved to Boulogne, France, and passed away in 1873.

What Did He Do in Politics?

Charles Purton Cooper was also involved in public life in Kent, where he lived. He tried to become a Member of Parliament (MP) several times:

• In 1850, he was a candidate for Lambeth, but he decided not to continue.
• In 1854, he ran for Parliament in Canterbury but didn't win.
• In 1855, he was asked to run for West Kent, but he chose not to.

Awards and Special Recognition

Because of his deep knowledge of law and old legal documents, Charles Purton Cooper received many honors:

• He became a Fellow of the Royal Society, which is a very prestigious group of scientists.
• He received special law degrees (LL.D.) from universities in Louvain and Kiel.
• He was also a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries, a group dedicated to studying history and old things.
• He was a corresponding member of royal academies in Lisbon, Munich, Berlin, and Brussels.
• In 1835, he was elected a member of the American Antiquarian Society.

His Writings and Books

Charles Purton Cooper wrote a lot! He published many books and pamphlets (small booklets) on legal and political topics. Here are some of his important works:

• An Account of the Parliamentary Proceedings relating to the Practice in Bankruptcy, Chancery, and the House of Lords (1828) – This book explained how Parliament dealt with legal cases.
• Notes, etc., in French on the Court of Chancery (1828) – Notes in French about a specific court.
• An Account of the Public Records of the United Kingdom, 2 volumes (1832) – A detailed look at public records.
• Reports of Cases decided by Lord Brougham in 1833 and 1834 (1835) – Reports of legal cases.
• Reports of Cases decided by Lords Cottenham and Langdale, and by Vice-chancellor Shadwell in 1837 and 1838 (1838–41) – More reports of legal cases.
• A letter to the Lord Chancellor on defects in the law as to the custody of lunatics (1849) – A letter about problems in the law regarding people with mental health issues.
• On Freemasonry (1868) – A book about the secret society of Freemasons.

His Lasting Contribution

In 1843, Charles Purton Cooper gave Lincoln's Inn (his legal society) two thousand books about law from different countries. He had also previously given them 150 books of American law reports. This shows his dedication to legal knowledge and his generosity.