Copley was the youngest daughter of a silk manufacturer, Peter Beuzeville (1741–1812), and his wife, Mary Griffith Meredith (1744–1811), who were both of Huguenot origin.
They moved later to St. Helier, Jersey, then to Eythorne, Kent, but they separated in 1843, perhaps due to Copley's alcoholism, which had already involved her in writing his sermons for him.
[2] Copley's recipe book Cottage Cookery (1859) included instructions on how to make stews, broths, pies and pudding and was aimed at poor wives.
In the chapter on 'Frugality and Cheap Cookery' she suggests sending out children to gather wild fruits and drying strawberry leaves to make tea.
Jill Norman, in her review of Cottage Cookery, points out that although there are many sensible suggestions in the book "as the daughter of a silk manufacturer, Copley had no experience of the struggle to feed a family on a few shillings a week with minimal cooking facilities, and sometimes even no fire.