Antony Copley

Antony R. H. Copley (1 July 1937 – 18 July 2016) was a British historian. He was an honorary professor at the University of Kent at Canterbury, and specialised in nineteenth century French history and modern Indian history.

He was born on 1 July 1937 in Hertfordshire, the son of Alan Copley, a solicitor, and Iris Copley, and educated at Gresham's School and Worcester College, Oxford.

In 1967, he joined the staff at the University of Kent at Canterbury, and was granted an honorary professorship when he retired.

In 1959 Copley was found by the police in a public lavatory and arrested for importuning with immoral purposes. On the advice of his solicitor father, he pleaded guilty. At the time of his death he was looking forward to a general pardon for men who like himself had been convicted of homosexual acts.