(Our thanks goes to Bill Fejfar for most of the photos in this section)
Our family gathering went off with only one minor hitch. Unfortunately our copy of Paddy Hopkirk's re-enactment of his 1964 victory in the Monte Carlo road rally in 2004, would not play.
We had 27 in attendance, including 4 that could not stay for the group photo.
Here is a group photo
The event started at 2:00pm at the Townhouse Hotel, downtown Melrose, and most attendees had arrived by 4:00pm. It was a beautiful day in Scotland and here, here, and here are some attendees chatting in the little sun room outside the entrance to the banquet room.
We had many family items on display, including wonderful items from the storied career of Bob Hobkirk, the 3 time Scottish National Fiddle Champion. Go here for a little more info about Bob Hobkirk.
The most interesting item was the medal awarded for the service of William Hobkirk to his country. The medal appears on the page at approximately actual size!
There was also information about the new $17 million (NZ) dollar state-of-the-art Hopkirk Research Institute at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand, which opened 23 March 2007.
Here are some more photos from before
dinner:
Craig Hobkirk, Ellenore Hobkirk, David Gibbs
Kimmi
Gibbs, John Hobkirk, and Chris
Hopkirk
ccc
John
K Hopkirk, Anne Murphy, and Beth Fejfar
Around 6:00pm the piper
arrived and serenaded
us with some wonderful scottish songs...including, of course, "Scottish Soldier"
"Amazing Grace" and calling us to dinner.
Getting ready to be served......
Craig
Ellenore, Ruari, Isabel and William Hobkirk, and June and John D.
Hopkirk
Vivien, Marlyn, Ralph, Chris, Bob, Claudia, Charlie and Alex's arm, Hopkirk
You can see this table got an early jump on the vino!!! You can also see
some the family items on display in the back ground.
Betty,
David, Kimmi, John, Anne and beth
We had a couple welcoming toasts, etc, and then settled in for a wonderful
meal, including wine for the non-tea-totalers. Starters were a choice of
: 1)Freshly prepared soup of the day, 2)Grilled Sardine Fillets with Tempura
King Prawns and Mango Ginger Salsa, or 3) a plate of Smoked Venison with
Raspberry Salad and Raspberry Vinaigrette.
The main was a choice of: 1)Poached Red Pepper and Goats's Cheese Wonton
with Vegetable Ragout and Tomato Basil Coulis, 2)Char-grilled Fillet of Salmon
with Rocket, Asparagus, Cherry Tomato, King Prawns, Black Olives and new
Potato Salad with a Citrus Scented Creme Fraiche, 3) Pan-roasted Fillet of
Pork served with Leek and Potato Rosti and Prune Apple Compote finished with
Arran Mustard Cream, or 4)Char-grilled Breast of Chicken set with Green Pepper
Chorizo Sausage Risotto and Pesto Oil.
For desert we had the following choices: 1)Townhouse Assiette-a selection
of Petit Puddings(Pistachio Parfait, Sticky Toffee Pudding, and Vanilla Raspberry
Brulee), 2) Peach & Ginger Tart served with Poached Rhubarb and Vanilla
flavoured Marscapone, or 3) a Selection of Cheese and Biscuits served with
Plum Tomato & Raisin Chutney, Celery and Quince Jelly.
After dinner a few people talked a little about their branches of the
family and then John K. Hopkirk gave an update on the DNA project.
here is a current view of how the tested branches of the family are
related. View summary
of DNA connections here.
We have since received an additional DNA sample from the Cavers branch of
the family. They are part of a completely separate line. It will be interesting
to see how the remainder of the family is connected to these two distinct
lines.
We have just found a way to do free DNA testing.....Please check back here soon for the details. We need your help.
We then broke up into chat groups and before you knew it, it was passed
10:00pm.
Chatting after dinner:
Chris, John
& Betty
Betty, her
son David and daughter-in-law Kimmie
John D.
Hopkirk He tore ligaments in his knee a few days earlier....so
he was now John HOBBLEKIRK!!!
Marlyn and
June
Vivien, Ralph
and Bob Hopkirk
Our thanks goes to the Henderson's and the all the staff at the Townhouse Hotel for doing a wonderful job. Here is their website: http://www.thetownhousemelrose.co.uk You may also wish view the website of the Townhouse Hotel's sister establishment, the Burts Hotel, located directly across the street from the Townhouse Hotel.
Those attending:
John K. Hopkirk & Anne Murphy, San Carlos, California, USA (Melrose
branch)
Chris, Claudia, Alex and Charlie Hopkirk, Worcestershire, UK (Melrose
branch)
Andy and Anne Hopkirk and parents, Edinburgh, Scotland (Peebles branch?)
afternoon only
Beth and Bill Fejfar, Yankton, South Dakota, USA (Melrose branch)
John D. and June Hopkirk, Albany, California, USA (Melrose branch)
William and Isabel Hobkirk (Cavers branch)
Craig Ellenore and Rauri Hobkirk (Cavers branch)
Ralph and Vivien Hopkirk, London, UK(Largs branch)
Kim and David Gibbs, and mother Betty J. Hopkirk from State of Washington,
USA
Bob and Marlyn Hopkirk, Barrhead, Scotland,(Largs branch)
Bob Hobkirk and family from Hawick. Son of 3 time Scotland National Fiddle
Champion
This page was last updated on November 17, 2007
