Born in City of London, St Michael Bassishaw.1,2

From the Parish Register :-
"September /  9 / David son of David & Rebeccah Cooper / born August 20"

Christened in City of London, St Michael Bassishaw.1,3

Father - David Cooper
Mother - Rebecca

Apprenticeship.4,5

Master - Richard Preston, Mercer, Holywell Street
Apprentice - David Cooper
Fee - GBP 100.

Freedom of the City of London.8,2

Admitted

From the Alphabets of Freedoms of the City of London .-
"Cooper, David - Tallow Chandlers - P"

From the Freedom Admissions Papers :-
"Chamber of London (blank) Day of (blank) 17 (blank) Born (Blank) the Liberty of the City to wit David Cooper Son of David Cooper Citizen and Tallow Chandler of London, came before the Chamberlain, the Day and Year aforesaid, and desired to be admitted into the Freedom of the City by Patrimony and in the said Company (blank) because he is legitimate, and was born after the Admission of his Father into the said Freedom. The Admission of the Father is entered into the Book marked with the Letter (blank) and bears the Date the (blank) Day of (blank) Year of the Reign of (blank) and in the Year or our Lord (blank).
Margin note :-
Copy 1739
Born 1753
Presented by (blank) Warden we declare upon the Oaths we severally took at the time of our Admission into the Freedom of the City, that (blank) is the Son of (blank) Citizen and (blank) of London, and that he was born in Wedlock, after the Admission of his Father into the Freedom of the City, and that he is his Son so reputed and taken to be, and so we all say.
(Signed) (Six illegible signatures)"

Research Note :-
Admitted the same day as his brother Philip

Livery Company in Worshipful Company of Tallow Chandlers.6,7

Admitted to the Freedom by Patrimony

From the Tallow Chandler's Company Court Minutes :-
Page 441

"Present
Mr. David Cooper - Master
Mr. John Tomkins - Warden
Mr. Joseph Meyers - Warden

David Cooper son of David Cooper Citizen & Tallow Chandler of London was made Free by Patrimony
Sworn & Paid 0-3-4
Free Gift 1-1-0
At Mssrs Palmers Ludgate Hill Mercer

Also
Philip Cooper son of the aforesaid David Cooper was made free by Patrimony Sworn & Paid 0-3-4
Free Gift 1-1-0
Both supported by
John Tomkins Tallow Chandler
Joseph Meyers Tallow Chandler
No. 85 Cheapside Linnen Draper"

Research Note :-
Admitted in the year his father, David Cooper, was Master of the Tallow Chandlers.

Fire Insurance.9

Company - Sun Insurance
Policy Number - 388873
Policy Holder - David Cooper
Occupation / Status - Mercer
Address - Hollywell Street, St Clements
Insured value - 3,200 GBP

Licence obtained for marriage to Frances WILSON.41

Appeared personally David Cooper and made Oath that he is of the Parish of St Clement Danes in the County of Middlesex aged twenty three years and upwards a Bachelor and intendeth to marry with Fanny Wilson of the Parish of St Lukes in the same county aged nineteen  years and upwards Spinster a Minor with the consent of William Wilson her natural and lawful Father and that he knoweth of no lawful impediment by Reason of a Precontract, Consanguinity, Affinity, or any other lawful Means whatsoever, to hinder the said intended Marriage and prayed a Licence to solemnize the same in the Parish Church of St Luke aforesaid and further made Oath that the usual Place of Abode of her the said Fanny Wilson hath been in the said Parish of St Luke for the Space of four Weeks last part.
Then appeared Personally the said William Wilson and made Oath that he is of the Parish of St  Martin in the Fields in the said County of Middlesex that he is the natural and lawful Father of the said Minor and that he is consenting to the above intended marriage of his Daughter with the said David Cooper.
(signed) David Cooper, William Wilson

Married Frances WILSON in Finsbury, St Luke.53,54,55

Groom - David Cooper - of the parish of St Clement Danes, bachelor
Bride - Fanny Wilson - of this parish, spinster, a minor "by and with the consent of William Wilson her natural and lawful father"
By licence
Witness - William Wilson

From the General Evening Post :-
On Saturday last, at Hornsey, Mr. Cooper, silk-mercer, of Holywell-street, to the only daughter of ---- Wilson. Esq., of Great Newport-street.

Advertisment.10

From the Morning Post and Daily Advertiser :-
"SILK MERCERY.
DAVID COOPER, mercer, No. 15, Hollywell-street, (from Mess. Palmers, Ludgate-hill) begs leave to inform his friends and the public, he has taken the entire stock of Mr. Wilson, retir'd from trade : consisting of Sattins, Tobines, Brocades, Tissues, Water'd Tabbies, Lustrings, etc. which will be dispos'd of considerably under their real value; with a larger quantity of Gold and Silver Stuffs in the highest perfection, at two thirds less than their original cost ; and having likewise purchas'd a new and elegant assortment of Silks for the present season, humbly elicits their favours, which he ever will studiously endeavour to merit, by serving them on the most equitable terms. The lowest price affixed to each piece.
Black Silks bought before the very great advance on Silk, to be sold 10 per cent. under their present prices."

Directories.11

From The London Directory for the year 1779 :-
Name - David Cooper
Occupation - mercer
Address - 15 Holliwell Street, Strand, London

Birth of son William Wilson COOPER in Westminster, St Clement Danes.42,43

Directories.13

From The London Directory for the year 1784 :-
Name - David Cooper
Occupation - mercer
Address - 15 Holliwell Street, Strand, London

Elections in Westminster.12

Name - David Cooper
Parish - St Clement Danes & St Mary le-Strand
Street - Holywell Street
Vote - Fox & Rodney

Directories.14

From Lowndes's London Directory for the year 1781 :-
Name - David Cooper
Occupation - mercer
Address - 15 Holliwell Street, Strand, London

Birth of daughter Rebecca COOPER in Westminster, St Clement Danes.44,45,46

Directories.15

Lowndes's London Directory :-
"Holliwell Street, Strand
Silk Mercer"

Directories.16

From Lowndes's London Directory for the year 1783 :-
Name - David Cooper
Occupation - silk mercer
Address - Holliwell Street, Strand, London

Directories.18

From :- Bailey's British Directory
David Cooper
Mercer
Holywell Street, Strand

Directories.19

From Lowndes's London Directory for the year 1784 :-
Name - David Cooper
Occupation - silk mercer
Address - Holliwell Street, London

Elections in Westminster.12

Name - David Cooper
Parish - St Clement Danes & St Mary le-Strand
Street - Holywell Street
Occupation - Mercer
Vote - Fox

Property Values and Rates.17

Name - David Cooper
Parish - St Clement Danes & St Mary le-Strand
Street - Holywell Street
Rack Rental Value - 30 GBP

Elections in Westminster.12

Name - David Cooper
Parish - St Clement Danes & St Mary le-Strand
Street - Holywell Street
Occupation - Mercer
Vote - Hood & Horne Tooke

Mentioned in Will.20

Of David Cooper (1716-1792)
Annotated as "Son"

Executor.20

Of the will of David Cooper (1716-1792)
Joint Executor with James Cooper and Philip Cooper

Mentioned in Will.21

Of William Wilson
Described as :- "my son in law David Cooper of Holywell Street in the parish of St Clement Danes in the county of Middlesex silk mercer"

Death of Frances WILSON in Hampstead.47,48,49,50,51,52

Amputation.22

From the Ipswich Journal :-
"Friday last, Mr. David Cooper, silk mercer, was obliged to undergo the amputation of his leg, at his house at Hampstead, having been confined by a hurt he received near 15 months hence, in jumping from a one-horse chair on Hampstead heath. His brother at the same time leaped out (the horse being at full speed and the shaft broke), and had the misfortune also to break his leg. The above circumstances plainly point out the extreme danger of jumping out when the horse is in motion."

Advertisment.23

From the Times :-
"TO the LADIES. --- DAVID and PHILIP COOPER, Silk Mercers to his Majesty, having removed from Holywell-street, to No. 28, Pall-Mall, respectfully inform the Nobility and Public, they have manufactured a variety of new Silks for the season, Sattin Lustres, Brilliants, Fancy and Stripe Sattins, Cypresses, Velvets, etc. etc. from patterns and designs of their own, and not to be had at any other House. They beg leave to further observe, every article in Silk, particularly their double black Cypresses, Armozeens, Resdemores, Bombazeens, etc. etc. are of the very first quality. A new-invented Silk of mourning, particularly soft and beautiful. D. COOPER begs leave to return his grateful thanks to his Friends for their kind consideration, is happy to acquaint them he has so far recovered his dreadful accident, as, to be able to give his personal attendance to business."

Master to an Apprentice.24

Master - David Cooper (& Philip Cooper), Citizen and Tallow Chandler of London.
Apprentice - Thomas Wakeman

Elections in Westminster.12

Name - David Cooper
Parish - St James, Piccadilly
Street - Pall Mall
Occupation - Silk Mercer
Vote - Sheridan & Paull

Directories.25

Post Office Annual Directory
"Cooper, D. & P. Silk-mercers to His Majesty, 28 Pall Mall"

Licence obtained for marriage to Dorothy TOMSON.56,57

Groom - David Cooper, of St James Westminster, gentleman, widower
Bride - Dorothy Tomson, spinster
By licence

Married Dorothy TOMSON in Thanet, Ramsgate, St Laurence.58,59,60,61,62

Details from the Parish Register :-
Groom - David Cooper of the Parish of St James Westminster, widower
Bride - Dorothy Tomson, of this parish, spinster.
By licence
Witnesses .-
W. Fox
R. Tomson
W. Tomson
Catherine Tomson
Mary B(??)

From the Leeds Intelligencer :-
"On Wednesday, Mr. David Cooper, of Pall Mall, London, silk-mercer, to Miss Tomson, niece to Adm. Fox, of Ramsgate."

From the Morning Post :-
"On the 22nd inst. Mr. Cooper, of Pall-Mall, to Miss Tomson, of Ramsgate."

From the Bury and Norwich Post :-
"Mr. D. Cooper, of Pall-Mall, to Miss Tomson, niece of Admiral Fox, of Ramsgate."

Research Note :-
Dorothy Tomson's sister Ann Simpson Tomson married James Cooper, the brother of David Cooper, in 1805.

Mentioned in Will.26

Of Admiral William Fox (1733?-1810)
Annotated as "my niece Dorothy the wife of David Cooper"

Directories.27

London and County Directory :-
Cooper, David & Philip, silk mercers to his Majesty, 28 Pall-mall

Mentioned in Will.28

Of Barrett March (1744-1817)
Annotated as "David Cooper of Pall Mall"

Elections in Westminster.12

Name - David Cooper
Parish - St James, Piccadilly
Street - Waterloo Place
Occupation - Silk Mercer
Vote - Romilly & Maxwell

Advertisment.29

From the Trewman's Exeter Flying Post :-
"DAVID and PHILIP COOPER
SILK-MERCERS to Her MAJESTY,
To her late R.H. the PRINCESS CHARLOTTE, H.S.H. the PRINCE LEOPALD, and to His MAJESTY'S GREAT WARDROBE,
BEG leave to inform the Nobility, Public, and their Friends in general, they are
REMOVED from No. 28 PALL-MALL,
To No. 2, WATERLOO-PLACE, opposite Carlton-House, PALL-MALL.
N.B. Part of their extensive Stock, not being quite new, will be sold at a reduced Price."

Codicil to Will.30

First codicil

"This is a codicil to my will made and executed at the time of the execution of my will ..."

Witnesses - John Dyke, Mary Clark, James Box

Names mentioned in Codicil :-
1. "my dear daughter Rebecca Powell

Place mentioned :-
1. "all that messuages tenement dwellinghouse courtyard garden field and premises situate in Boston in the county of York"

Wrote will.30

1) This is the last Will
2) and Testament of me David Cooper of Hammersmith and of Waterloo
3) Place in the county of Middlesex Silk Mercer I nominate constitute
4) appoint my dear wife Dorothy Cooper together with my beloved
5) brother James Cooper and my nephew Philip Cooper
6) Executrix and Executors of this my will ... ... ...
7) ... ... ...

Witnesses :-
John Dyke, 19 Arundel Street, Strand, London, Mary Blank, 10 Effingham Place, Ramsgate, & James Box, servant to Mr. Cooper

Names mentioned in will :-
1. "my dear wife Dorothy Cooper
2. "my beloved brother James Cooper"
3. "my nephew Philip Barrett Cooper"
4. "my brother and partner Philip Cooper"
5. "my eldest grandson David Powell"
6. "Harriett the wife of my brother Philip"
7. "Ann the wife of my brother James"
8. "my dear nephews and nieces Susan Cooper Mary the wife of Mr. John Sparks James Cooper Margaret Cooper and David Cooper"
9. "and Miss Margaret Dean"
10. "my dear daughter Rebecca the wife of John Powell"
11. "Mr. Robert Simpson"

Items mentioned :-
1. "vault under Saint Mary's chapel near Hammersmith"
2. "my portrait on horseback by Bestland"

Research Note :-
St Mary's Chapel, near Hammersmith, was a Chapel at Ease within the Parish of All Saints, Fulham. It became a parish church about 1836 and is now known as St Marys West Kensington.

Codicil to Will.30

Second codicil

"This is a second codicil to my will ..."

Names mentioned .-
1. "my beloved brother James Cooper"

Died in Hammersmith (Portland Place).31,32,33,34,35,36

From the Times :-
"On the 17th inst., at his house in Portland-place, Hammersmith, David Cooper, Esq., of Waterloo-place, mercer to his Majesty"

From Jackson's Oxford Journal :-
"In Portland-place, Hammersmith, D. Cooper Esq. of Waterloo-place, Mercer to his Majesty"

From the Morning Chronicle :-
"On the 17th inst., at his house Portland-place, Hammersmith, David Cooper, Esq. of Waterloo-place, mercer to His Majesty"

From the Leeds Intelligencer :-
"On Wednesday se'nnight, at his house, Portland place, Hammersmith, D. Cooper, Esq. silk mercer to her late Majesty, and father of Mrs. John Powell of Thorp Arch."

From the York Herald and General Advertiser .-
"On Wednesday last, at his house Portland-place, Hammersmith, D. Cooper, Esq. silk mercer to the state, and father of Mrs. John Powell of Thorp-Arch."

From the Gentleman's Magazine :-
""In Portland-place, Hammersmith, David Cooper, esq, of Waterloo-place, mercer to his Majesty"

Buried in Fulham, St Mary's Chapel, (Within the parish of All Saints).37

From the All Saints Fulham Parish Register :-
"Page 120
Burials in the Parish of Fulham at St  Mary's Chapel in the county of Middlesex in the Year of 1819
David Cooper, Portland Place, (February) 24, sixty five years"

Research Notes :-
1 ) St Mary's Chapel was a Chapel at Ease within the Parish of All Saints, Fulham. It became a Parish Church with its own parish about 1836 and is now known as St Marys West Kensington
2 ) Also buried here :-
Harriet Cooper née March, died 1830
Philip Cooper, died 1846.

Sale of Property.38

From the Times .-
"An excellent Residence, with Coach house, Stabling, capital Garden, etc. between Kensington and Hammersmith, with immediate possession.- By Messrs. SKINNER, TUCHIN, and FORREST, at Garraways's, on Thursday, the 27th inst., at 12, by order of the administratrix of David Cooper, Esq., deceased.
A Genteel RESIDENCE, called OTTO-HOUSE, complete with convenient offices, a court yard, with coach house and good stabling for four horses, and other suitable erections ; lawn, shrubbery walks, capital and very extensive walled garden fully cropped and planted with an abundance of the choicest fruit trees in full bearing, a handsome green house and a hot house or grapery most desirably situated as the extremity of Portland place, an agreeable distance from the Hammersmith road, with a view over the adjacent nursery grounds to Lord Holland's park : the house contains an entrance hall, 2 drawing rooms communicating by folding doors, a cheerful dining room, a neat library or breakfast room, 6 bedchambers, dressing rooms, water closets, etc. The premises are fitted up with great taste, and are now in the most complete and perfect order, suitable for the immediate reception of a respectable family ; the estate is copyhold, subject to a small fine certain, which renders the property equal in value to freehold ; half of the purchase money can be left on mortgage. To be viewed by tickets ; which, with printed particulars, may be had of Mr. Dyke, attorney, 19, Arundel-street, Strand ; and or Messrs. Skinner, Tuchin, and Forrest, Aldersgate street."

Probate in Prerogative Court of Canterbury.30

Executors .-
James Cooper - "the brother"
Philip Barrett Cooper - "the nephew"
Dorothy Cooper - "widow the Relic"

Mentioned in Codicil to Will.39

Of Philip Cooper (1755-1846)
Second Codicil
Annotated as "my brothers James Cooper and David Cooper"

Mentioned in Will.40

of Philip Barrett Cooper
Described as :- "my oil painting of my later Uncle David Cooper on horseback"