Daily entries from the 17th century London diary
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Clerk of the Works …
… a phrase which does not have an internal rhyme in British English (as it would in American English). I assume “clerk” rhymed with “park” even in Pepys’s day.
Cooper was clerk of the works for Hampton Court and Bushey Park from 1661 to 1687 (the year he died), according to the Companion volume.
He is called “officer of the King’s Works” in the Index volume.
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Here is the text of his memorial in Hampton Church near Hampton Court Palace:
“Henry Cooper Gen’t whose body lyes buried near this place dyed Aprill the 26th 1687 in the 63rd year of his age after he had been Clarke of the workes att Hampton Court about 24 years.
On the 26th of January 1700 Margarett his wife dyed att Greemwich in the 68th year of her age and lyes here buried with her husband.”
NB the spelling used is “Clarke”