Frederick Hopkinson

At Bisley in May 1956 Frederick Hopkinson broke the British record for the small-bore rifle, three positions, only to hold it for two hours when the previous holder Steffen Cranmer regained it. Hopkinson was selected as the fourth member of the British rifle and pistol team for the 1956 Melbourne Olympics a month after the other three team members Cranmer, Fred Calvert, and Henry Steele were selected. Hopkinson, however, had to undergo a second trial along with medical student Nigel Oakley. It was Hopkinson who got the fourth and final place on the team and he took part in both 50 metres small-bore rifle events, three positions and prone.

Hopkinson hailed from Newark and was a marine engineering fitter. He was a Nottinghamshire county shooting team member and had represented Great Britain at international level since 1954. He served on the executive committee of the Nottingham Small-Bore Rifle Association. Hopkinson took part in a trial for the 1960 Rome Olympics, but was not selected for his second Games.