John Hope, 7th Earl of Hopetoun, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death
TweetJohn Hope, 7th Earl of Hopetoun
British colonial governor
Date of Birth: 25-Sep-1860
Place of Birth: South Queensferry, Scotland, United Kingdom
Date of Death: 29-Feb-1908
Profession: politician
Zodiac Sign: Libra 
About John Hope, 7th Earl of Hopetoun
- John Adrian Louis Hope, 1st Marquess of Linlithgow, 7th Earl of Hopetoun, (25 September 1860 – 29 February 1908) was a British aristocrat and statesman who served as the first Governor-General of Australia, in office from 1901 to 1902.
- He was previously Governor of Victoria from 1889 to 1895. Hopetoun was born into the Scottish nobility, and succeeded his father as Earl of Hopetoun at the age of 12.
- He attended Eton College and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, but opted not to pursue a full-time military career.
- Hopetoun sat with the Conservative Party in the House of Lords, and became a Lord-in-waiting in 1885 and Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1887.
- He was appointed Governor of Victoria at the age of 29, and had a successful tenure in a time of political and economic instability. After returning to England in 1895, Hopetoun served in Lord Salisbury's cabinet as Paymaster General and Lord Chamberlain.
- The announcement of his appointment to the new governor-generalship in July 1900 was met with praise.
- However, he arrived in Australia ill-informed about the political aspects of federation, and his decision to call on William Lyne to form a caretaker government became known as the "Hopetoun Blunder".
- Lyne, who had campaigned against federation, had little support from the political establishment, and Hopetoun was forced to turn to Edmund Barton to serve as Australia's first prime minister.
- His relationship with Barton once in office was civil, although his interferences in political matters were not well-received. Hopetoun was popular with the general public, but developed a reputation for flamboyance and ostentation.
- His desire for a large expenses allowance was rebuffed by parliament, and he consequently relinquished office in July 1902.
- He was granted a marquessate upon his return to England, and thereafter withdrew from public life, except for a brief term as Secretary of State for Scotland in 1905.
- He died in France at the age of 47, after several years of ill health.
- Hopetoun's term as governor-general is generally regarded as a failure, and his successors generally avoided emulating his extravagance.
- Only Lord Denman held the position at a younger age.
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