Monday, November 7, 2011

Meet Eulie Hopkins

Olive, Eulie, and Cedric Hopkins
October 1897


I am pleased to introduce you to Winifred Eulalie Hopkins. Everyone called her Eulie. She was born on September 3, 1894, in Milverton, England


Eulie's father, George, was the son of an Irish merchant and minister from Wicklow, Ireland. 


Eulie's mother, Emily Ruth Draper, was the daughter of a coach smith and livery stable keeper of Hackney, London, England. 




Eulie, December 1901


















Garry, Edith, Harold, Lance, Maz, Cedric, Eulie, Olive, and John c. 1918

Eulie was the 8th of 10 children. While Eulie passed into adulthood, the Great War, now known as World War I, was raging in Europe. It began on 28 July 1914, when Eulie was approaching her 20th birthday, and lasted until 11 November 1918, when Eulie was 24 years old. More than 9 million people who fought in the war, mostly men, were killed. Possibly the vast carnage is the reason that Eulie and two of her sisters never married.

 

Mildred (sister-in-law), Olive, and Eulie


The family had businesses in Milverton and in Wicklow, Ireland. At one time or another, Eulie's parents, grandparents, and brothers and sisters worked in the family's shops. I was told by one of her nieces, that Eulie was the secretary for the firm and also worked as a cashier.

In 2008, on a visit with family in England and Ireland, I was fortunate to be able to photograph many old family photos, including Eulie's Album(Thank you, Uncle John and Aunt Vanessa.) From the album, I learned that in addition to working in the family businesses, Eulie traveled, golfed, played field hockey, and kept photographs of all her brothers and sisters.

Maz and Eulie c. 1960

Eulie died 44 years ago in Dublin, Ireland on November 5, 1967.






© 2011, Cathy H Paris

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