Arthur Hopkins

Arthur Innes Hopkins (1869 – 1943) was a British Anglican missionary active in the north of the island of Malaita.

Early life Hopkins was born in York to a devoutly Christian family. He was sickly as a child and suffered from numerous serious illnesses, but he nonetheless completed his education at several local schools. He was sent to the Lau Lagoon in order to preempt the possibility of the Methodist Church setting up a mission in the area, as the Anglican colonial authorities did not wish for the Methodists to gain influence. After arriving at the mission he was placed under 24-hour guard, as the mission was under constant threat of attack from locals. He had strained relations with the most powerful leader in the area, Kwaisulia, but co-operated with him on crushing local outbreaks of violence. Hopkins translated the Bible into the Lau and Kwara'ae languages, and also conducted church services in those languages.

Later life Hopkins left Malaita in 1915, heading to Norfolk Island and then to Maravovo. He later returned to the United Kingdom, becoming Secretary for the Melanesian Mission from 1926 to 1929. Hopkins died in 1943.