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.
[1] In 1967, he joined the staff at the University of Kent at Canterbury, and was granted an honorary professorship when he retired.
[2] In 1959 Copley was found by the police in a public lavatory and arrested for importuning with immoral purposes.
[1] 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.