Richard Cope Obituary
13 Mar 2023
Image: David, Richard, Susan and Andrew Cope
It is with great sadness that we announce that Richard Cope, of six-generation Cope Jewellers in Nottingham, passed away on Thursday 9th March, 2023.
Richard was Chairman (1974-76) and President (1993-94) of the National Association of Goldsmiths (NAG), President of the British Horological Institute and Master of the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers (1993).
John Richard Cope joined the family clock-making business when he left school in 1949 and completed his apprenticeship in 1954. Following National Service and subsequent demobilisation in 1956, he joined his father, Bill, and brother, David, in the retail side of the family business. Training involved working at Croydons of Ipswich then the Gübelin shop in Lausanne, where he completed the GA course and passed the exam.
He returned to Nottingham in late 1958 and in the early 1960s was appointed managing director of Copes retail division. In 1958 he joined the NAG Council and served on the Executive and chaired the education committee.
In 1979, Mr Cope’s daughter Susan joined the firm, initially working in Newark then Nottingham, and now she manages the Newark branch and is the longest serving member of staff. His eldest son Andrew joined in 1985; he is managing director and based in the Nottingham store. J. Richard Cope continued to assist Andrew and Susan with the day-to-day operations of the firm even after he had begun his retirement.