We thought of Hopetoun because of the many synchronistic connections to Hope in our family. Robin Paterson's maiden name is Hope and her family are distantly related to the Hopes that own Hopetoun House in Scotland. Ironically the Hopeton Road (spelt differently but still the same) feeds into the Bunbury Road where we live. Our daughter is called Hope and finally the Hope Motto "Though the world is broken, hope remains" fits what we hope to achieve here.
Our property is the last vestige of a much larger property which was the home for many years Of J Walter Jones - arguably one of the great premiers of PEI. He was a renaissance man who went to study agriculture when many farmers could not read. Who was the first principal of the MacDonald School started by the MacDonald family who were even back in the 1920's concerned by the low quality of education in the conventional system. Who started the seed potato business on PEI. Who built the finest dairy herd in North America and who, annoyed with politicians, entered politics to become premier.
His love of trees is his great gift to us. Our driveway is lined by a tunnel of ancient lindens. We have a huge oak tree by the house and the remains of a pine plantation at the back. He created a magic kingdom
