The Hon Sir Pope Alexander Cooper KCMG |
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Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Bowen |
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In office 24 January 1881 – 5 January 1883 |
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Preceded by | Henry Beor |
Succeeded by | Charles Chubb |
Personal details | |
Born |
Pope Alexander Cooper 12 May 1846 Lake George, New South Wales, Australia |
Died | 23 August 1923 Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
(aged 77)
Resting place | Toowong Cemetery |
Nationality | Australian |
Spouse(s) | Alice Frener Cooper (m.1873 d.1900) |
Alma mater | University of Sydney, University of London |
Occupation | Barrister, Prosecutor, Judge |
Sir Pope Alexander Cooper KCMG (12 May 1846 – 30 August 1923) was an attorney-general and a chief judge of the Supreme Court of Queensland, Australia.
Pope Alexander Cooper was born at Willeroo Station, Lake George, New South Wales, the son of Francis Cooper, a squatter, and his wife Sarah, née Jenkins. Cooper was educated at the Sydney Grammar School and the University of Sydney, where he won the Cooper and Gilchrist scholarships and graduated with a B.A. and in 1868 a M.A.. He then went to London where he completed the LL.B. course, became a student of the Middle Temple, and was called to the English bar in June 1872.
Cooper returned to Australia and began to practise as a barrister at Brisbane in June 1874. He became a crown prosecutor in January 1879 and entered the Legislative Assembly of Queensland as member for Bowen. On 31 December 1880 he joined the first Thomas McIlwraith ministry as Attorney-General. He resigned this position on 6 January 1883 when he was appointed as a supreme court judge for the northern district of Queensland. His travelling expenses caused some quarrels. In 1895 he became senior puisne judge at Brisbane, and on 21 October 1903 chief justice. He resigned this position 31 March 1922, being succeeded by Thomas McCawley, and died on 30 August 1923.