John Cope (British Army officer)

John Cope KB ( * 1690, † 1760) was a British general and member of parliament.

Life

John Cope, son of Lieutenant - Colonel Henry Cope, attended Westminster School and began his military career in 1707 in a regiment of dragoons. Cope fought in the War of Spanish Succession and the War of Austrian Succession. For his services in the War of Austrian Succession, he was awarded the Order of the Bath. In 1745 he was the commander of the government forces in Scotland at the Battle of Prestonpans, in which he was defeated.

From 1722 he was a member of the British House of Commons, from 1722 to 1727 for the constituency of Queensborough (Isle of Sheppey ), 1727-1734 for Liskeard in Cornwall and from 1738 to 1741 for the constituency of Orford in Suffolk.

Hey, Johnnie Cope

The Scottish folk singer Adam Skirving (1719-1803) composed after Cope's defeat at Prestonpans the popular folk song Hey, Johnnie Cope, Are Ye Waking Yet? (Hey Johnnie Cope, are you awake yet? ), Which is to today is re-recorded and performed by Scottish folk singers, for example, of The Corries, The Tannahill Weavers and Planxty.