Richard Hopkins was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons variously between 1670 and 1701.
Background
Hopkins was the son of Sir Richard Hopkins, steward and Member of Parliament for Coventry, and his wife Sarah Button, daughter of John Button of Buckland, Hampshire, and granddaughter of William Jesson who was also Member of Parliament for Coventry.
Career
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 Member of Parliament 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 Member of Parliament for Coventry in 1690 and sat until 1695. He was re-elected Member of Parliament for Coventry in 1698 and sat until 1701.
Hopkins died aged 67 and was buried in Street Michael"s Church, Coventry.
Hopkins married Mary Johnson, daughter of Alderman Johnson. Their son Edward was also Member of Parliament for Coventry.
Membership
Cavalier Parliament. Exclusion Bill Parliament. Habeas Corpus Parliament]
Hopkins was elected Member of Parliament for Coventry in the Cavalier Parliament in a by-election in 1670 and sat until 1685.