Cambridge Encyclopedia :: Cambridge Encyclopedia Vol. 69

Sir Godfrey Copley

Philanthropist, born in Yorkshire, N England, UK. He left a fund in trust to the Royal Society which has been applied since 1736 to the provision of the annual Copley Medal for philosophical research.

Sir Godfrey Copley (c.1653 – April 9, 1709) was a wealthy English landowner, art-collector and public figure, who lived in Sprotbrough, now part of Doncaster in South Yorkshire.

He is remembered mainly because he provided a bequest to the Royal Society in London in 1709, which provided the funding for an annual award, the Copley Medal, the Society's premier award for scientific achievement.

Preceded by:
Sir John Reresby
Member for Aldborough
1679–1685
Succeeded by:
Sir Roger Strickland

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