'Earl Fitzwilliam’s Treasure Island' - Stephen Cooper

The 7th Earl Fitzwilliam (d. 1943) was one of the richest men in England and lived in the magnificent mansion known as Wentworth Woodhouse, near Rotherham in South Yorkshire. In 1904 Admiral Palliser, who was a friend of his, gave him a treasure map, supposedly showing the location of a hoard of Spanish treasure, hidden on Cocos Island in the Pacific, some 500 miles off the coast of Panama. This was an age of exploration, and his appetite for adventure was whet. This talk will explain what happened next.

Stephen Cooper studied Modern History at Balliol College, Oxford. He qualified as a solicitor, and was in general practice in London and then in Sheffield for around 20 years. He joined the Government Legal Department and became a specialist in social security law, including advocacy before the Upper Tribunal, for the second 20 years of his career. Upon retirement, he returned to his first love, which is medieval military history.