Daniel Hopkin

Major Daniel Hopkin MC (July 1886 – 30 Aug 1951)^[1] was a British soldier, barrister and Labour Party politician.

Early life

Hopkin was born in Llantwit Major in South Wales, the son of a farm labourer who died in 1893 when Daniel was seven. After elementary school, Hopkin studied at Carmarthen College, and then to the University of Cambridge to read law,^[2] later becoming a barrister.

During the First World War, Hopkin served as an officer with the Royal Fusiliers, and was awarded the Military Cross in 1916 for conspicuous gallantry.^[3][4]

Politics

He was elected at the 1929 general election as Member of Parliament (MP) for Carmarthen in South Wales, becoming the first Labour MP for the historically Liberal Party-held seat. He had narrowly failed to win the seat at a by-election in 1928, and his slender majority in 1929 was overturned by the Liberals the 1931 general election, as Labour's share of the vote nationally plummeted when the party split over Ramsay MacDonald's decision to form a National Government with the Conservative Party.^[5]

Hopkin regained the seat with a large majority at the 1935 general election, and held it until his resignation in 1941 to become a Metropolitan Police magistrate.^[5]

His son Sir David Hopkin (1922–1997) was also a Metropolitan Stipendiary Magistrate for over 20 years, but is probably best known as the Chairman and later President of the British Boxing Board of Control.^[6]

References

1. ^ "House of Commons constituencies beginning with "C" (part 2)". Leigh Rayment's House of Commons pages. http://www.leighrayment.com/commons/Ccommons2.htm. Retrieved 2009-04-25. 
2. ^ "Names associate with Llantwit Major". Llantwit Major Local History Society. http://www.llantwitmajorhistory.org.uk/people.html. Retrieved 2009-04-25. 
3. ^ "Issue 29824". London Gazette. 14 November 1916. pp. 18. http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/29824/supplements/11056. Retrieved 2009-04-25. 
4. ^ "Issue 34761". London Gazette. 26 December 1939. pp. 10. http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/34761/supplements/8582. Retrieved 2009-04-25. 
5. ^ ^{a b} Craig, F. W. S. (1983) [1969]. British parliamentary election results 1918–1949 (3rd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 551. ISBN 0-900178-06-X. 
6. ^ Mee, Bob (12 September 1997). "Obituary:Sir David Hopkin". The Independent. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/obituary-sir-david-hopkin-1238736.html. Retrieved 2009-04-25. 

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Daniel Hopkin
• Portraits of Daniel Hopkin at the National Portrait Gallery, London

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by William Nathaniel Jones	Member of Parliament for Carmarthen 1929 – 1931	Succeeded by Richard Thomas Evans
Preceded by Richard Thomas Evans	Member of Parliament for Carmarthen 1935 – 1941	Succeeded by Moelwyn Hughes

Persondata
Name	Hopkin, Daniel
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1886
Place of birth
Date of death	1951
Place of death