He was born in
Hull on 16 September 1829, the son of Charles Cooper, an architect in Hull. He attended
Hull Grammar School. Initially working as a journalist for the
Hull Advertiser he rose to be its Sub-editor and Manager. In 1861, he became a political correspondent working at the
House of Commons for the
Morning Star. In 1868, he resigned his position to become Assistant Editor to
Alexander Russel in
The Scotsman newspaper in
Edinburgh. When Russel died in 1876, the editorship was taken by Rev Dr Robert Wallace and on his retiral in 1880 Cooper was placed as editor. He served as editor for 25 years, until retiring in 1906 (aged 76) to be replaced by John Pettigrew Croal. During his period as editor he lived at 15
Charlotte Square, one of Edinburgh's most prestigious addresses. In 1890, he was elected a Fellow of the
Royal Society of Edinburgh his proposers including
Alexander Crum Brown,
Sir Arthur Mitchell and
John McLaren, Lord McLaren. He died in
Bournemouth on 14 April 1916. He is buried in
Dean Cemetery in western
Edinburgh with his wife Susanna, who had died in 1887, and two of their sons: Frank Towers Cooper KC (1883–1915) and James Cooper (1866–1929). The grave lies on the north wall of the first north extension. ==Publications==