Richard Hopkins (died 1708)
Encyclopedia
Richard Hopkins was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons
variously between 1670 and 1701. He was an active opponent of King James II and a promoter of the Glorious Revolution
.
Hopkins was the son of Sir Richard Hopkins
, steward and MP for Coventry, and his wife Sarah Button, daughter of John Button of Buckland, Hampshire, and granddaughter of William Jesson
who was also MP for Coventry.
Hopkins was elected Member of Parliament
for Coventry
in the Cavalier Parliament
in a by-election in 1670 and sat until 1685. He actively opposed the King, and urged on the crowd in Coventry which greeted the captive Monmouth enthusiastically in 1682. He was restrained from partaking in the Battle of Sedgemoor
but is said to have been marked out as a malignant. Coventry was forced to surrender its charter in 1683 and a number of officials and council members were removed as a result of the town's perceived disaffection. Hopkins was replaced as MP in 1685. When King James II visited Coventry in September 1687, he stayed at Hopkins's house and wanted toe bestow favours on him, but did not gain his support. When William of Orange landed in England at the end of 1688, King James' daughter Anne escaped from confinement in London and fled to the Midlands where she stayed a few days with Hopkins until news arrived that James had fled the country.
Hopkins was re-elected MP for Coventry in 1690 and sat until 1695. He was re-elected MP for Coventry in 1698 and sat until 1701.
Hopkins died aged 67 and was buried in St Michael's Church
, Coventry.
Hopkins married Mary Johnson, daughter of Alderman Johnson. Their son Edward was also MP for Coventry.
House of Commons of England
The House of Commons of England was the lower house of the Parliament of England from its development in the 14th century to the union of England and Scotland in 1707, when it was replaced by the House of Commons of Great Britain...
variously between 1670 and 1701. He was an active opponent of King James II and a promoter of the Glorious Revolution
Glorious Revolution
The Glorious Revolution, also called the Revolution of 1688, is the overthrow of King James II of England by a union of English Parliamentarians with the Dutch stadtholder William III of Orange-Nassau...
.
Hopkins was the son of Sir Richard Hopkins
Richard Hopkins (died 1682)
Sir Richard Hopkins was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1660.Hopkins was the son of Sampson Hopkins, mayor and MP for Coventry, and his wife Jane. He was callled to the bar and became serjeant-at-law...
, steward and MP for Coventry, and his wife Sarah Button, daughter of John Button of Buckland, Hampshire, and granddaughter of William Jesson
William Jesson
William Jesson was an English dyer and politician who was active in local government in Coventry and sat in the House of Commons between 1640 and 1648....
who was also MP for Coventry.
Hopkins was elected Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Coventry
Coventry (UK Parliament constituency)
Coventry was a borough constituency which was represented in the House of Commons of England and its successors, the House of Commons of Great Britain and the House of Commons of the United Kingdom....
in the Cavalier Parliament
Cavalier Parliament
The Cavalier Parliament of England lasted from 8 May 1661 until 24 January 1679. It was the longest English Parliament, enduring for nearly 18 years of the quarter century reign of Charles II of England...
in a by-election in 1670 and sat until 1685. He actively opposed the King, and urged on the crowd in Coventry which greeted the captive Monmouth enthusiastically in 1682. He was restrained from partaking in the Battle of Sedgemoor
Battle of Sedgemoor
The Battle of Sedgemoor was fought on 6 July 1685 and took place at Westonzoyland near Bridgwater in Somerset, England.It was the final battle of the Monmouth Rebellion and followed a series of skirmishes around south west England between the forces of James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth and the...
but is said to have been marked out as a malignant. Coventry was forced to surrender its charter in 1683 and a number of officials and council members were removed as a result of the town's perceived disaffection. Hopkins was replaced as MP in 1685. When King James II visited Coventry in September 1687, he stayed at Hopkins's house and wanted toe bestow favours on him, but did not gain his support. When William of Orange landed in England at the end of 1688, King James' daughter Anne escaped from confinement in London and fled to the Midlands where she stayed a few days with Hopkins until news arrived that James had fled the country.
Hopkins was re-elected MP for Coventry in 1690 and sat until 1695. He was re-elected MP for Coventry in 1698 and sat until 1701.
Hopkins died aged 67 and was buried in St Michael's Church
Coventry Cathedral
Coventry Cathedral, also known as St Michael's Cathedral, is the seat of the Bishop of Coventry and the Diocese of Coventry, in Coventry, West Midlands, England. The current bishop is the Right Revd Christopher Cocksworth....
, Coventry.
Hopkins married Mary Johnson, daughter of Alderman Johnson. Their son Edward was also MP for Coventry.