A Journey Through Time

The Hopking Family Heritage
747 AD — Present Day

From the courts of Charlemagne to the fields of Norfolk, from the castles of Scottish kings to the streets of Georgian London, this is a story spanning more than twelve centuries. It is a story of emperors and farmers, of nobles and merchants, of migration and marriage, of survival and prosperity.

This is the chronicle of one family's remarkable journey through the great sweep of European history.

747

Ancient Foundations

747 AD – 1066 AD

Our journey begins in the eighth century, in the time of great empires and the forging of Europe as we know it. Through marriages and alliances spanning centuries, the family line traces back to the most celebrated rulers of the early medieval period.

Quick Facts
  • Charlemagne ruled an empire covering much of Western Europe
  • Alfred the Great saved England from Viking conquest
  • William's conquest in 1066 changed English history forever
  • Royal bloodlines intermarried extensively across medieval Europe
Charlemagne (Charles the Great)
King of the Franks, Emperor of the Romans
747–814 AD • Through his vast empire and numerous descendants, Charlemagne's bloodline spread throughout European nobility. The family connection flows through his son Louis the Pious and the Carolingian dynasty, eventually reaching the royal houses of France, England, and Scotland.
Alfred the Great
King of the West Saxons, King of the Anglo-Saxons
848–899 AD • The only English king to be called "the Great," Alfred defended England against Viking invasions, promoted education and law, and laid the foundations for the unified English kingdom. Our line descends through his son Edward the Elder and continues through subsequent Anglo-Saxon and Norman monarchs.
William the Conqueror
Duke of Normandy, King of England
c. 1028–1087 • The Norman Conquest of 1066 forever changed England. William's victory at Hastings established a new royal dynasty. The family descends through his granddaughter Matilda and her connection to the Scottish royal house.
⚔ 1066 — Battle of Hastings
While William the Conqueror was defeating King Harold at Hastings and claiming the English throne, our Norman ancestors were establishing themselves in the new order that would rule England for centuries to come.
These ancient connections remind us that noble bloodlines were thoroughly interconnected across medieval Europe. Marriage alliances between royal houses meant that descent from one medieval monarch often implies descent from many others.
⏳
"In 1215, while King John reluctantly signed Magna Carta at Runnymede, our ancestors were among the Norman nobility who had helped shape the feudal system that charter would eventually transform."
842

The Scottish Kings

842 AD – 1329 AD

The family's Scottish heritage runs deep, connecting to the very founding of the Kingdom of Scotland and continuing through its most celebrated rulers. From the first king to unite the Picts and Scots, through the warrior kings who defended Scotland's independence, this lineage represents the heart of Scottish royal history.

Quick Facts
  • Kenneth MacAlpin first united the Picts and Scots in 842
  • Malcolm III's marriage united Scottish and Anglo-Saxon royal lines
  • Robert the Bruce secured Scottish independence at Bannockburn (1314)
  • Scotland remained an independent kingdom until the Union of 1707
Kenneth I MacAlpin
"The Conqueror" — First King of Scots
r. 842–858 • Kenneth united the kingdoms of the Picts and the Scots, creating what would become Scotland. Known in Gaelic as Cináed mac Ailpín, he established his capital at Scone and began a dynasty that would rule Scotland for generations. His unification of these rival peoples was a military and political achievement that shaped Scottish identity for centuries.
Malcolm II
King of Scotland
r. 1005–1034 • A formidable warrior-king who secured Scotland's borders and defeated Northumbrian invasions. His reign saw Scotland expand and consolidate power. Through his daughter Bethoc, he ensured the throne would pass to his grandson Duncan, continuing the royal line that connects directly to our family.
Malcolm III "Canmore"
King of Scotland, "Great Chief"
r. 1058–1093 • Malcolm "Canmore" (meaning "Great Chief" or "Big Head") took the throne after defeating Macbeth. His reign transformed Scotland, bringing Anglo-Saxon cultural influences and strengthening ties with England. He married Margaret of Wessex, granddaughter of the Anglo-Saxon king Edmund Ironside—a pivotal royal marriage that united two great bloodlines.
David I "The Saint"
King of Scotland
r. 1124–1153 • The sixth son of Malcolm III and Saint Margaret, David revolutionized Scotland through Norman-style reforms. He founded numerous monasteries and burghs, introduced feudalism, and established royal burghs that became Scotland's major cities. His reforms modernized the kingdom and created the administrative framework that would last for centuries.
Robert the Bruce (Robert I)
King of Scotland, "The Hero King"
1274–1329 • Scotland's legendary warrior king who secured independence at Bannockburn in 1314. His victory over Edward II's much larger English army is one of history's greatest military triumphs. Robert's sister Mary Bruce married Sir Neil Campbell, creating the crucial link between the Bruce royal line and the Campbell family that connects to our heritage.
Royal Marriage Moment: 1069/70

Malcolm III of Scotland + Saint Margaret of Wessex

This union joined the Scottish royal house with the Anglo-Saxon line descended from Alfred the Great. Margaret brought Anglo-Saxon culture and religion to the Scottish court, while their children would claim both Scottish and English royal heritage. This marriage created a bloodline that would eventually unite the crowns of Scotland and England.

⚔ 1314 — Battle of Bannockburn
Robert the Bruce's outnumbered Scottish army defeated Edward II's English forces in a two-day battle that secured Scottish independence. Our ancestor Sir Neil Campbell fought alongside Robert, cementing the Campbell family's place in Scottish history.
Scottish Royal Descent
Kenneth I MacAlpin
r. 842–858
Constantine I
r. 862–877
Malcolm II
r. 1005–1034
Duncan I
r. 1034–1040
Malcolm III + St Margaret
r. 1058–1093
David I
r. 1124–1153
↓ Multiple generations ↓
Robert the Bruce
r. 1306–1329
⏳
"In 1492, while Christopher Columbus sailed to the Americas, our ancestors were living in the Scottish Highlands, part of the Campbell clan that would soon rise to become one of Scotland's most powerful families."
1314

The Campbell Rise

1314 AD – 1800 AD

The Campbell family rose from Scottish nobility to become one of the most powerful families in Scotland, serving as Dukes of Argyll and holding the ancient Barony of Balvill (Balwill). Our Campbell ancestors connect to these mighty lords through the early Campbell chiefs.

Sir Neil Campbell of Lochawe fought alongside Robert the Bruce at Bannockburn and married the king's sister, Mary Bruce. Their descendants became the Lords Campbell, then Earls of Argyll, and eventually Dukes of Argyll—one of the premier noble families of Scotland.

Quick Facts
  • The Campbells became one of Scotland's most powerful clans
  • The Barony of Balvill was granted by Crown Charter in 1630
  • Our Campbell line branches before the dukedom but shares early ancestors
  • The family eventually connected to Jamaica through marriage
The Barony of Balvill has a remarkable history. Originally granted by charter in 1630, it passed through various branches of the Campbell family. While the Dukes of Argyll represent the main Campbell line, our family's Campbell ancestry intersects with the earlier chiefs before branching toward a different path—one that would eventually lead to Jamaica and back through the Scarlett line.
Sir Neil Campbell
of Lochawe and Ardskeodnish
d. c. 1315 • Knight who fought at Bannockburn, married Mary Bruce (sister of Robert the Bruce). Earl of Atholl. His descendants through his son Colin became the Lords Campbell and later Earls of Argyll.
Archibald Campbell, 1st Marquess of Argyll
Baron of Balvill
1607–1661 • A key figure in Scottish history during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. The Barony of Balvill was held by the Campbell Earls and Marquesses of Argyll during this period, a title that would pass through several generations.
Peter Campbell, 9th of Kilmory
Connection Point
Our Campbell line intersects here. Peter Campbell's daughter Florence married Percy Romilly Walsham of the Chinese Maritime Customs Service, bringing together the Campbell, Walsham, and Scarlett family lines.
How We Connect to the Campbells
Charlemagne
↓
Alfred the Great
↓
Scottish Kings
↓
Robert the Bruce
↓
Early Campbell Chiefs
(1300s–1400s)
↓
— Two branches diverge —
Main Line →
Earls of Argyll
↓
Dukes of Argyll
↓
Barons of Balvill
Our Branch →
Peter Campbell
9th of Kilmory
↓
Florence Campbell
↓
Walsham Line
↓
HOPKING LINE
📜 1707 — Acts of Union
The Scottish and English Parliaments united to form Great Britain. The Campbell Dukes of Argyll played significant roles in this union, while our Campbell branch had already begun its journey toward new horizons.
⏳
"In 1776, as the American colonies declared independence, the Scarlett family was establishing plantations in Jamaica, while the Walsham family held their estates in Herefordshire, and the Campbells governed from their Scottish strongholds—three family lines that would converge generations later."
1473

The Noble Convergence

1400 AD – 1800 AD

During the late medieval and early modern periods, multiple noble families—each with their own distinguished histories—developed concurrently across Britain and its colonies. The Walsham family of the Welsh marches, the Scarlett family with their Jamaican plantations, the ancient Shirley family, and our Campbell branch all flourished in parallel before their eventual union.

Quick Facts
  • Four distinct noble families existed simultaneously across centuries
  • Geographic reach: Scotland, Wales, Sussex, Jamaica
  • All families converged in the 19th-20th centuries through marriage
  • Each brought unique heritage: Scottish lords, Welsh gentry, colonial planters
Four Families Through Time
Walsham Family
Herefordshire Gentry • 1473–1900s
Scarlett Family
Jamaica Planters • 1625–1800s
Shirley Family
Sussex Nobility • Medieval–1600s
Campbell Family
Scottish Lords • 1300s–1800s
↓
Marriage Alliances Unite All Four Lines
↓
THE HOPKING LINE
The Walsham Family
Knill Court, Herefordshire
The Walshams were established gentry in the Welsh marches from 1473, holding Knill Court in Herefordshire. Sir John Walsham was created a baronet in 1831. Percy Romilly Walsham married Florence Campbell, uniting these two distinguished lines. Their daughter Gladys Newell Walsham married into the Hopking family.
The Scarlett Family
Eastbourne & Jamaica
Benjamin Scarlett (1625–1660) was a barrister in London and Eastbourne. His descendants became Jamaican plantation owners, acquiring the Wagwater River estate. The family's Jamaica connection lasted several generations before returning to England, where Frances Sophia Mostyn Scarlett married into the Campbell-Walsham line.
The Shirley Family
Wiston, Sussex
An ancient family descended from the de Braose lords of the Welsh marches. The Shirleys held Wiston in Sussex and were prominent in county affairs. They connect to the line through the Lomax and Scarlett families, adding another layer of nobility to the family's heritage.
This period saw the family's geographic expansion from Scotland and the Welsh marches to the Caribbean and back. Each family brought its own heritage, lands, and connections, creating a rich tapestry of British and colonial history. These families existed simultaneously, governing their domains and building their fortunes, before destiny brought them together through marriage.
1660

The Hopking Line

1660 AD – 1900 AD

The Hopking family's documented history begins in rural mid-Norfolk in the 1660s, where they lived as farmers and small landholders in villages like Little Dunham and East Bilney. For nearly two centuries, they remained rooted in this landscape of big skies and prominent church towers.

By the 1840s, as the Hungry Forties brought agricultural hardship and a large family needed new opportunities, the Hopkings began their migration. From Norfolk's villages to London's growing suburbs, from Tottenham to Dublin, the family adapted to the changing times while maintaining their character and resilience.

Quick Facts
  • Family origins in Norfolk villages, 1660s onwards
  • Nearly 200 years as Norfolk farmers and small landholders
  • Mass migration in 1840s due to agricultural depression
  • Success as wine merchants in Victorian London
  • Entire generation born in Dublin before Irish independence
🌾 1845-1852 — The Hungry Forties
A period of agricultural depression, bad harvests, and the Irish Potato Famine created widespread hardship. The Hopking family, with ten children to support, joined millions of rural British families migrating to cities seeking new opportunities.
Robert Hopkin
Little Dunham, Norfolk
d. 1695/6 • The earliest documented Hopking ancestor, buried in Little Dunham. His descendants would work the land in Norfolk for several generations, living through the restoration of Charles II, the Glorious Revolution, and the early Georgian period.
John Hopking/Hopkins
East Bilney & Gressenhall
d. 1783 • Of East Bilney and Gressenhall, Norfolk. His will was proved in 1783. By this time, the family spelling had begun to settle on "Hopking," though variations continued into the 19th century.
Henry George Hopking
The Great Migration
1798–1875 • Father of ten surviving children. The agricultural difficulties of the 1840s forced this generation to seek opportunities beyond Norfolk. Of his ten children, nine had left the county by 1861—some to London, others as far as India and America.
Henry Hopking(s)
Wine Merchant of London
1836–1906 • Baptised in Watlington, Norfolk. Became a wine merchant in Hackney, then Edmonton and Tottenham. Married Catherine Ann Dawson in 1864. His success in the wine trade established the family in London's growing suburbs along the old Roman road from Norfolk to the City.
Richard Smith Hopking
Dublin Connection
1868–1944 • Born in Edmonton, he became a brewer's manager and moved to Dublin, where an entire generation of Hopkings was born. The family lived through the tumultuous events of Irish independence before returning to England.
When Daniel Defoe rode through Norfolk in the 1720s, he found it "teeming with spinners, weavers and tradesmen" with "a face of diligence spread over the whole country." A century later, the Napoleonic Wars and the Hungry Forties had changed that prosperity. The Hopking family's migration to London was part of a great movement from countryside to city that characterized Victorian England.
⏳
"In 1837, as Queen Victoria ascended the throne to begin her 63-year reign, Henry George Hopking was raising ten children in rural Norfolk, unaware that within a generation, his descendants would be merchants in the capital of the very empire Victoria would come to symbolize."
1900

The Modern Era

1900 AD – Present Day

The twentieth century brought the convergence of all these family lines—royal, noble, and common—in the marriage of Lt. Col. Henry Richard Hopking OBE to Gladys Newell Walsham. Their union brought together the Hopking line from Norfolk and London with the Walsham-Campbell-Scarlett heritage.

Born in Dublin during the final years of British rule in Ireland, Henry Richard Hopking served with distinction in the Suffolk Regiment, his military career taking him from the West Indies to Burma. His son Richard Scarlett Hopking settled in Suffolk, and it is here that the family's long journey—from Charlemagne's court to Norfolk's fields, from Scottish castles to Dublin streets—finds its present home.

Quick Facts
  • Marriage in Shanghai (1930) united all family lines
  • Military service across British Empire in 20th century
  • Family returned to East Anglia where Hopking name originated
  • 1200+ year journey from Charlemagne to present day
🇮🇪 1922 — Irish Independence
The Irish Free State was established, ending 700 years of British rule. The Hopking family, with an entire generation born in Dublin, witnessed this transformation firsthand before returning to England as Ireland charted its own course.
Lt. Col. Henry Richard Hopking OBE
Suffolk Regiment
1900–1965 • Born in Dublin, educated at Christ's Hospital. Professional soldier with a distinguished career. Married Gladys Newell Walsham in Shanghai in 1930, uniting the Hopking line with the Walsham-Campbell-Scarlett heritage. Awarded OBE 1950.
Gladys Newell Walsham
Born in Ningpo, China
1908–1982 • Daughter of Percy Romilly Walsham and Charlotte Cunningham Scott Myers. Her father served in the Chinese Maritime Customs Service. Through her mother's line came the Campbell and Scarlett connections, bringing together centuries of Scottish, Welsh, English, and colonial history.
Richard Scarlett Hopking
Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
1936–present • Born in Bury St Edmunds. Marketing executive and arborist. Father of Mark Richard Hopking. The family's return to East Anglia brought the line back to the region where the Hopking name first appeared in the 1660s.
Mark Richard Hopking
Present Day
Born 1971 in Colchester, Essex. Sea captain. Married Judy Margaret Barber in 2008. Through more than twelve centuries and countless lives, the journey through time reaches its present chapter—carrying forward the heritage of emperors and farmers, warriors and merchants, Scots and English, into the twenty-first century.
The Final Convergence: 1930

Henry Richard Hopking + Gladys Newell Walsham

Married in Shanghai, China, this union brought together: the Hopking line (Norfolk farmers to London merchants), the Walsham line (Welsh marches gentry), the Campbell line (Scottish nobility descended from Robert the Bruce), and the Scarlett line (colonial Jamaica). All the threads of this 1200-year journey wove together in a single marriage.

The Final Convergence
Hopking Line
Norfolk → London → Dublin
+
Walsham-Campbell-Scarlett
Scotland → Wales → Jamaica → England
Henry Richard & Gladys Newell
m. 1930 Shanghai
Richard Scarlett Hopking
b. 1936
Mark Richard Hopking
b. 1971