Sir John Cope, 5th Baronet
Sir John Cope, 5th Baronet | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date |
| Died | January 11, 1721 (aged 86) |
| Occupation(s) | Landowner, financier, politician |
| Known for | Director of the Bank of England, Member of Parliament for Oxfordshire and Banbury |
Sir John Cope, 5th Baronet (19 November 1634 – 11 January 1721) was an English landowner, financier, and politician affiliated with the Whig faction.
Biography
Born as the third son but second surviving child of Sir John Cope, 3rd Baronet, and Lady Elizabeth Fane—daughter of Francis Fane, 1st Earl of Westmorland—Cope began his education at The Queen's College, Oxford in 1651. In 1654, he embarked on the Grand Tour. By 1660, he held the rank of lieutenant in Viscount Falkland’s infantry regiment and advanced to captain by 1667.
On 2 November 1672, he wed Anne Booth from Dunkirk. Although his elder brother Sir Anthony Cope expressed disapproval and restricted John's inheritance to a life interest in the family properties, John became a prominent landowner in Oxfordshire following his brother’s passing in 1675.
Cope was elected as Member of Parliament for Oxfordshire in 1679 and served until 1681. He supported the Glorious Revolution of 1688 and made substantial investments in the new government. In 1689, he was appointed deputy lieutenant for Oxfordshire and reclaimed his parliamentary seat that year; however, he was unsuccessful in elections held in 1690 and 1698 despite receiving support from dissenters.
In 1694, Cope played a foundational role as one of the directors establishing the Bank of England, contributing notably to early English banking history. He returned to Parliament representing Banbury through a by-election in 1699 but lost this seat in 1700. Later, in 1718, he was named a justice of the peace for Banbury.
Cope passed away on 11 January 1721 and was succeeded by his son, Sir John Cope, 6th Baronet of Hanwell.