Biography

George Frederick Hopkins (1872 - 1934) was born at Rochester, Kent, England, son of John Hopkins. Within the Hopkins family there is a great musical tradition. George's brother, W. Granville Hopkins, was sub-organist at St. Paul's Cathedral, London, and later organist at St. Andrew's, Holborn.

J. L. Hopkins, composer of "Lift up your heads" and many other sacred pieces, became organist at Rochester Cathedral in 1841 and was followed in 1856 by his cousin, John Hopkins, father of George. His uncle, E. J. Hopkins, was organist at the Temple Church, London, from 1844 to 1899, and George's grandfather was a leading clarinetist and viola player and was leader of the private orchestra of William IV.

John Hopkins had also been an organ builder and thus George, as organist and builder with many years of knowledge and experience, arrived in.Launceston in March 1912 to take up the position of organist and choirmaster at St. John's Church.

On his arrival he found the organ was in poor condition. He kept it playing for a few years until in 1915 he decided to rebuild the instrument. He accomplished this mammoth task over the next thirteen years, giving St. John's the best pipe organ in the Southern Hemisphere. One of his reports compares its features and pipes side-by-side with the organ of (Roman Catholic) Westminster Cathedral in London

George Hopkins was interested in the performing arts in Launceston and on three occasions was selected as adjudicator of the Launceston Competitions. He also gave tuition on organ and piano as well as choir training.

After seventeen years of service at St. John's, George retired and moved to Sydney to live. He had married before he came to Launceston and had two daughters, Daphne and Nancy. Daphne married and lived at Westbury, where she was organist at the Anglican Church on the Village Green.

George died in Sydney on 9^th June 1934. In his memory at St. John's Church a plaque was erected at the base of the organ front. The inscription reads:
IN MEMORY OF
GEORGE.FREDERICK HOPKINS
ORGANIST OF THIS CHURCH FOR 17 YEARS
AND BUILDER OF THIS ORGAN
DIED 9TH JUNE 1934

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