Background
Cooper was born in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, the son of Samuel Cooper, a local carriage proprietor.
Cooper was born in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, the son of Samuel Cooper, a local carriage proprietor.
Cooper"s mother recognised his interest in buildings and talent in drawing them, and at a young age was apprenticed to local architects John Hall and Frank Tugwell from 1885 to 1889.
His work has been described as "essentially Classical, and sometimes powerfully Baroque."
Cooper subsequently worked as an assistant for Walter Green Penty, Demaine and Brierley, and Goldie, Child and Goldie. In 1893, he returned to Scarborough to re-join John Hall, and along with Herbert Davis, formed Hall, Cooper and Davis. The firm opened a London office in 1895, but Cooper continued to work independently as well.
Cooper was particularly adept at winning competitions, and several of his commissions, including the Royal Star and Garter Home, Hull"s Guildhall and Lloyd"s were derived in this way.
Cooper went on to design Street Marylebone Town Hall and Library, the headquarters of the Portuguese of London Authority (at 10 Trinity Square) and the offices of Lloyd"s, Leadenhall Street. Cooper was elected a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects in 1903, and was knighted for his work in 1923.
In 1931 he received further distinction when he was awarded the Royal Gold Medal for architecture by the Royal Institute of British Architects. Cooper was made Treasurer of the Royal Academy of Arts on 5 December 1940.
He died of a heart attack on 24 June 1942, whilst at work in London as the Treasurer of the Royal Academy of Arts.
On 24 April 1930 Cooper was elected an Associate Member of the Royal Academy of Arts and on 22 April 1937 he was elected a Royal Academician. Cooper was a member of the Council of the Royal Academy of Arts from 1938 to 1939 and from 1941 to 1942.