After being educated at Southampton College in England and being a writer for the English press, F.R.C. Hopkins arrived in Victoria in 1865. He became a station manager and for many years had a pastoral holding on the Murray River. Hopkins wrote plays adapted from European works, and a large part of their success has been attributed to Alfred Dampier, who produced many of them on the stage.
His first produced play in 1877, was an adaptation of Eugene Sue's novel, The Wandering Jew, which Hopkins titled All For Gold; or, Fifty Millions of Money. Alfred Dampier produced this play in Australia and later in Birmingham in 1878.
Hopkins also wrote essays, poetry and short stories. In 1878 he started editing a periodical with contributions written exclusively by women, The Australian Ladies' Annual (q.v.). Only one issue appeared.
Hopkins died in Carcoar (NSW) after an accident in 1916.