Englishwoman who married Thomas Cochrane in 1812. Her father was Thomas Barnes from Romford, Essex and her mother was believed to be a Spanish dancer.
Matriculated in 1849, as Fellow-Commoner: a graduate of University College, London, he was refused admission at Trinity, Christ’s and one other College, but after the intervention of the Prince Consort as Chancellor, he was admitted to Magdalene, with dispensations as to Chapel attendance. He was the first professing Jew to become a graduate of the University.
5th Wrangler (not being Senior Wrangler rankled for the rest of his life). President of the Union, 1853.
A commercial lawyer (Inner Temple), specialising in insurance cases, but also keenly interested in International Law, as well as Mathematics and Philosophy. Counsel to the University, 1879, and to the secretary of state for India, 1893; Liberal MP for Southwark, 1880-1887 (which precluded acceptance of a judgeship).
Honorary Fellow, 1885 (one of the first; not 1883 as usually stated). ‘A great lawyer… for the argument of a question of law before an appellate tribunal he had few equals’ (ODNB). Major player in the Alabama arbitration.
Silver candlesticks presented in his memory by his nephew.
Arms in Hall glass, E1.
Obituary, College Magazine No. 17 (1914), pp. 328-330
Irish miniature painter.
Reproductive stipple engraver.
Although a prolific portrait engraver over a number of decades, little is known of Robert Cooper. His first recorded work as an engraver was for the Biographical Magazine in 1795. He went on to contribute extensively to the periodical press, producing prints for, among others, La Belle Assemblée; or, Bell’s Court and Fashionable Magazine, the Gentleman's Magazine, European Magazine, Dramatic Magazine, and Evangelical Magazine. The most significant books to feature his work include Cawthorn's Modern British Theatre series, Edmond Lodge's series of Portraits of Illustrious Personages of Great Britain, Tresham's and Ottley's British Gallery of Pictures (1808), Chamberlaine's edition of Holbein drawings (1812), the Culloden Papers (1815), Memoirs of the Kit-Cat Club (1821), and Colburn's edition of Pepys's Diary (1825). His last recorded engraving dates from 1826, but, according to Samuel Redgrave, he was still living in 1836. He is probably identical with the 'R. Cooper' who exhibited miniature portraits at the Royal Academy between 1793 and 1799.