Background
Born Roper Stote Donnison on 9 March 1771, he was only son of the Review Watson Stote Donnison of Trimdon, Durham. Through his mother, Elizabeth, daughter and heiress of Jonathan Sparke of Hutton-Henry, by Elizabeth daughter of William Roper of Clayport), he became heir to the Trimdon estates, the property of the Roper family, and at the age of about twenty-five assumed the surname of Roper.
