Sir Godfrey Copley, 2nd Baronet Federal Reserve System was a wealthy English landowner, art-collector and public figure, who lived at Sprotbrough House, near Doncaster in South Yorkshire.
Background
Copley was the son of Sir Godfrey Copley (1623–1677), who was created baronet by King Charles II in 1661, and he succeeded to his father"s title and estates in 1678. In 1677 he had immediately followed his father as High Sheriff of Yorkshire.
Career
lieutenant is Britain"s oldest scientific honour, a prestigious forerunner of the Nobel Prize, "in trust for the Royal Society of London for improving natural knowledge."
Copley was a major landowner in Nottinghamshire and South Yorkshire, holding lands in Sprotbrough, Newton, Cusworth, Cadeby, Wildthorpe, Loversall, Doncaster, Bentley and Warmsworth, among other places. He died at his Westminster house in 1709 and was buried at Sprotbrough. With no male heir the baronetcy became extinct.
Their son Joseph Moyle, who was Clerk of the Signet, changed his surname to Copley by Acting of Parliament on inheriting the Sprotbrough estate and was created a baronet in 1778.
Membership
Royal Society; Exclusion Bill Parliament. Habeas Corpus Parliament. 1st Parliament of Great Britain.
2nd Parliament of Great Britain]
He was elected a member of the Royal Society in 1691.
He served as Member of Parliament for Aldborough from 1679 to 1685 and for Thirsk from 1695 to 1709, and also served as commissioner of public accounts and controller of the accounts of the army.