D'Arcy Cooper
Sir Francis D'Arcy Cooper, 1st Baronet (17 November 1882 – 18 December 1941), was a British businessman and accountant who became chairman of Lever Brothers and Unilever. He was born in St Pancras, London, the son of chartered accountant Francis Cooper and Ada Frances Power. He was educated privately and at Wellington College, spent a year in Paris, then returned in 1899 to join his family’s firm, Cooper Brothers and Co., which audited Lever Brothers from its start in 1885. He became a partner in 1910.
When World War I began, Cooper joined the Yeomanry in 1915 and soon earned a commission in the Royal Field Artillery. He was wounded in August 1916 during the Battle of the Somme and spent about a year recovering. He worked for the War Office for the rest of the war and returned to his firm in January 1919.
In 1923, Cooper joined Lever Brothers' board as joint vice-chairman. After founder William Lever died, he became chairman on 15 May 1925. He also advised the government on industry and rearmament before World War II and served on the Board of Trade during the war.
In the 1941 Birthday Honours, he was made a baronet, of Singleton. He received international honors as well, becoming a Commander of the Order of the Crown of Belgium and a Knight of the First Class of the Order of St. Olav of Norway, due to his business work abroad. He married Evelyn Hilda Mary Radford in 1913.
Cooper fell seriously ill in 1939 and never fully recovered. He died on 18 December 1941 in West Ridge, Reigate, Surrey, aged 59. He had no sons, so his baronetcy ended with him.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 20:25 (CET).