Edward Faux Hopkins was an old-fashioned Englishman with business interests in the ZAR at the time of the Boer War, who chose to take the oath of neutrality rather than throw his lot in with his countrymen.
Edward Hopkins was born in Regis, Warwickshire on March 19, 1867. In 1889, at the age of 22, Hopkins bid farewell to England and departed for South Africa.
He initially settled down to a life in Durban where he set himself up in business as a forwarding agent.
On July 21, 1898, Hopkins married Sarah Annie Vincent Nicholson in Durban.
Not long after their nuptials, Hopkins decided to move his family to Heidelberg.
In Heidelberg, he befriended a fellow British citizen, Albert Edward Beckwith. Together they started the company Beckwith & Co and opened a store for trading purposes.
In 1899, Transvaal was a hive of activity.
Paul Kruger sent an ultimatum to Britain, demanding that troops along the Transvaal border be removed.
As history has, Britain didn’t comply and on the morning of October 12, 1899, the war between the ZAR and Britain was declared.
Hopkins felt he needed to be part of the majority force and in November 1900 he enlisted with Vallentin’s Heidelberg Volunteers.
On May 24, 1901, the Vallentin’s Heidelberg Volunteers were credited with a capture of a Boer laager, where they secured nine armed prisoners and a lot of stock.
Captain JM Vallentin was wounded in the operation.
On July 24, 1901, at Braklaagte the Heidelberg Volunteers were ambushed by a Boer commando.
The casualties included Beck, Bouwer, Morrison, Nel, Schroeder, Struben, Van Eeden and Van Emmenes.
All these men, except Schroeder and Struben, were executed by the Boers.
Hopkins died in the Heidelberg Hospital on August 16, 1942 at the age of 75.
At the time of his death, he was a successful cartage contractor.
Hopkins was survived by his children Mary Hamilton Paterson, Phyllis Vincent Bunting and Joyce Tavenor Joerning.
He is buried in the Heidelberg Kloof Cemetery.
Hopkins was awarded the Queens South Africa Medal.
