Charles Henry Cooper charted over half a millennium of life at Cambridge in the five volumes of the Annals of Cambridge. Cooper practised as a solicitor in Cambridge, and was town clerk from 1849 until his death in 1866. He was a keen historian and devoted a great deal of time to archival research, particularly into local history. Drawing on extensive public and private records, including petitions, town treasurers' accounts, restoration records, death certificates, legal articles and letters to ruling royalty, Cooper compiled a comprehensive chronological history of Cambridge, documenting the 'city of scholars' through its tumultuous political and religious growing pains. It was published in the face of considerable opposition from the university authorities, but was eventually acclaimed as an authoritative account.