Richard Hopkins (died 1736)

Last updated June 10, 2019

Sir Richard Hopkins (died 1736) of St. Botolph's, Bishopsgate, London was a British merchant and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1724 to 1727.

Hopkins was born after 1676, the son of Richard Hopkins of St. Botolph’s and his wife Rose Sherard, daughter of George Sherard of Bushby, Leicestershire. He became a merchant trading with Turkey and member of the Cutler’s Company. He married Ann Lethieullier, daughter of William Lethieullier, merchant of London.^[1]

The Worshipful Company of Cutlers is one of the ancient Livery Companies of the City of London. It ranks 18th in the order of precedence of the Companies.

Hopkins was Director of the Royal Exchange Assurance Corporation in 1720 and became a Director of the South Sea Company in 1721 for the rest of his life. He was knighted on 26 July 1722. In 1723, he stood as a Whig in a hard-fought contest for Sheriff of London and served for the year 1723 to 1724.^[1] He was elected Alderman for Lime Street Ward on 4 March 1724.^[2] Also in 1724, he was elected Member of Parliament for the City of London at a by-election on 11 December 1724. He lost the seat in the contest at the 1727 general election.^[1] He translated to the Fishmongers Company on 26 May 1730 and was prime warden of the Fishmongers’ Company from. 1730 to 1732. He became Sub Governor of the South Sea Company in 1733.^[2]

The Royal Exchange Assurance, founded in 1720, was a British insurance company. It took its name from the location of its offices at the Royal Exchange, London.

The South Sea Company was a British joint-stock company founded in 1711, created as a public-private partnership to consolidate and reduce the cost of national debt. The company was also granted a monopoly to trade with South America and nearby islands, hence its name. When the company was created, Britain was involved in the War of the Spanish Succession and Spain controlled South America. There was no realistic prospect that trade would take place, and the company never realised any significant profit from its monopoly. Company stock rose greatly in value as it expanded its operations dealing in government debt, peaking in 1720 before collapsing to little above its original flotation price; the economic bubble became known as the South Sea Bubble.

City of London (UK Parliament constituency) Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom

The City of London was a United Kingdom Parliamentary constituency. It was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1950.

Hopkins died on 2 January 1736 and was said to be worth £100,000.^[1]

External links

Portrait of Sir Richard Hopkins

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References

1 2 3 4 "HOPKINS, Sir Richard (d.1736), of St. Botolph's, Bishopsgate, London". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
1 2 Alfred P Beaven. ", 'Chronological list of aldermen: 1701-1800', in The Aldermen of the City of London Temp. Henry III - 1912 (London, 1908), pp. 119-140". British History Online. Retrieved 14 December 2018.

Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by Peter Godfrey Francis Child Richard Lockwood Sir John Barnard	Member of Parliament for the City of London 1724–1727 With: Sir John Barnard Francis Child Richard Lockwood	Succeeded by Sir John Eyles Micajah Perry Humphry Parsons Sir John Barnard

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[HOP-1] 1 2 3 4 "HOPKINS, Sir Richard (d.1736), of St. Botolph's, Bishopsgate, London". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 18 December 2018.

[ALD1-2] 1 2 Alfred P Beaven. ", 'Chronological list of aldermen: 1701-1800', in The Aldermen of the City of London Temp. Henry III - 1912 (London, 1908), pp. 119-140". British History Online. Retrieved 14 December 2018.