Hope was born in the Adelaide suburb of Mitcham, South Australia to Scottish born parents George Swan Fowler and Catherine Janet Lamb. As a child Hope helped her father, a successful wholesale grocer, to breed leeches for sale to pharmacists on the family"s estate in Glen Osmond.
Hope was educated privately, initially attending Madame Marval"s private school in Adelaide as well as schools in England while her brother attended Cambridge University. The family returned to Adelaide in 1884 and Hope matriculated in 1886.
In 1887 Hope became the first woman to enroll in medicine at the University of Adelaide. She was awarded the Elder Prize and graduated in Medicine and Surgery in 1891.
The couple frequently treated cases of typhoid, cholera and malaria and Charles became well known for his expertise in performing eye surgery. In 1915 the Hopes assisted World War I efforts treating wounded soldiers in Serbia where they were captured and imprisoned in Hungary for two months. Following a period of respite in England, they returned to India and their mission efforts in 1916.
She died on 14 September 1952 and had no children.
