The son of Samuel Cooper, a merchant in the whaling trade; through his mother descended from the Priestleys, of which family the famous chemist, Joseph Priestley (1733-1804), was a member. Henry Cooper received his education at private schools, and at the age of 16 became a pupil of Dr Fielding, of Hull. He was a student of the University of London, as University College was then called, in its first session (1828), and gained several class prizes. After qualifying he spent a short time in Edinburgh and Paris, and then entered into partnership with William Joseph Lunn, of Hull. In 1840 he was appointed Surgeon to the Hull Infirmary, and after taking the MD in 1841 spent a further period of study both at home and abroad. Returning to Hull, he was elected Physician to the Infirmary in succession to Sir James Alderson, and became Lecturer on Materia Medica at the Hull School of Medicine. He took a prominent part in the sanitary survey of Hull in 1848, and in the subsequent official inquiry. In 1849 there was a virulent cholera epidemic in the town, and he was then made Superintendent of the Sculcoates District. At the British Medical Association Meeting in Hull in 1848 Henry Cooper read the Address in Medicine, and in 1853 acted as Joint Secretary to the Association, which again met in Hull. He was much interested in municipal affairs, and was one of the first elected Mayors of the reformed corporations. In 1854-5 he was Mayor of Hull, and was knighted in 1854 when Queen Victoria visited the Borough. He was several times President of the Literary and Philosophical Society and was warmly interested in this, and in the local model dwellings. Elected Chairman of the first Hull School Board, he held that post for six years. In 1874 he was elected Consulting Physician to the Infirmary on retirement from active duty, and was also chosen Chairman of the Board of Management. At the time of his death he was likewise Consulting Physician to the Hull and Sculcoates Dispensary. He died at his residence, 12 Albion Street, on May 21st, 1891. Publications: *Medical Topography and Vital Statistics of Hull*, 1849. This dealt with the local cholera epidemic. "Address in Medicine." - Hull Meeting of Prov. Med. Assoc., 1850; *Trans. Prov. Med. Assoc.*, 1851, N.S. vi, 125.