Life story retold by Paul Beecroft
In
Loving Memory Of
MARJORIE SYBIL HAWKINS
Born Oct. 4th 1895
Died Jan. 17th 1896
BESSIE CONSTANCE HAWKINS
Died 26th Aug. 1909
Aged 45 years
CONSTANCE MARY HAWKINS
Died 15th Aug. 1912
Aged 25 years
WILLIAM SLADE HAWKINS
Died 20th Nov. 1915
Aged 57 years
OLIVER LUTHER HAWKINS
Died in France 23rd April 1915
Aged 22 years
WILLIAM SLADE HAWKINS
Eldest son of the above
Died in Mombasa, Kenya 8th Sept. 1954
Aged 66 years
Another Reading family that lived a quiet life in the town but were to suffer more than their share of tragedy.
William Slade HAWKINS was born in Reading on October 1st 1858. His father was John Luther HAWKINS (1822-1895) who worked as a clerk at a biscuit factory, presumably, Huntley and Palmers. His mother was Mary SLADE (1824-1889) who was born in Andover. William had four siblings – John Luther (1857), George Herbert (1858), Thomas (1862) and Arthur (1865). In 1861 the family are living at 1, Portland Place and in 1871 were living at 1, South Street.
In 1881, William is 22 years old and is employed as a Bankers Clerk. Where he was educated is not known but his brother John is known to have attended the Old Reading School, so he may have gone there too. The family are now living at 74, South Street.
In 1886, William married Bessie Constance MILLARD (known as Constance) who was born in Andover in 1864. Their marriage resulted in six children – Constance Mary (1887), William Slade (1888), Maurice Brackstone (1890), Oliver Luther (1893), Marjorie Sybil (1895) and Lewis Brackstone (1896). In 1891 they lived at 53, South Street and employed two servants. William is still employed as a Bankers Clerk.
In 1892, their son Maurice died. He was just 17 months old and in 1896 their daughter Marjorie died. She was just over three months old. The cause of either death is not known. She was buried in Reading Old Cemetery. There is no mention of Maurice in Reading Old Cemetery, so he may be buried elsewhere.
By 1901 the family have moved to 65, London Road and William’s occupation is now as a Private Secretary.
On August 26th 1905, William’s wife Bessie died following an attack of pneumonia and pleurisy. Her funeral took place at a Chapel in King’s Road, and she was then interred in the family grave in Reading Old Cemetery.
The 1911 census shows the family at different addresses. Lewis lives with a relative at 83, Tulse Hill, Lambeth and is still at school. Oliver is at Reading School and resides at the School Lodge 2, Erleigh Road and William is a boarder at 1, Erleigh Road and his occupation is shown as a Commercial Clerk. Constance is thought to be in the London area.
On August 15th 1912, Constance died. She was only 25 years old. At the time she was living in London, but nothing further is known about her death.
1912 also saw William leaving England and travelling to Africa. He became a Clerk in the Land Department in Kenya on 1st April. He remained there until 1914 but returned home when war was declared with Germany. William joined the Royal Engineers becoming a sapper. Lewis served as a Private in the Royal Army Medical Corp. and Oliver joined the 2nd Battalion East Yorks Regiment as a Second Lieutenant. Both Lewis and William survived the war but sadly Oliver did not. On April 23rd 1915 he was wounded in action around Ypres. Initially it was not thought to be serious, but he died three days later in a base hospital. Although his name is recorded on the head stone in Reading Old Cemetery, he is actually buried in a war grave in Hazelbrouck Cemetery in France.*
William (senior) died on November 20th 1915 at his home. He was 57 years old. There are no known details of his funeral. He was buried in the family plot in Reading Old Cemetery.
In 1917, William married Daisy Louise WAUGH in Reading. They did not appear to have any children.
In 1919, William returned to Africa and was once again employed in the Land Department. His career in Africa was very successful. As the years passed he was promoted and in May 1923 he became Assistant District Commissioner for the North Kavirondo District, Nyanza Province and in July he was elected as a Magistrate 2nd class for the same district. In February 1928 he became Assistant District Commissioner for the Kiambu District, Kikuyu Province. Further promotion followed in 1934 when he was appointed District Commissioner for the Lamn District, Coast Province and in 1935 when he became the District Commissioner for North Nyeri District, Central Province and then District Commissioner in the Elgeyo District, Rift Valley Province. In April 1936, he was further promoted to Acting District Commissioner for Nairobi. This appears to have been his last appointment and later in 1936 he retired. It is not known if he stayed in Kenya or returned to England. However, he is known to have taken up further duties in Kenya. Information is difficult to confirm but reports suggest that he retired again in 1946 but in April 1954 he once again returned and was appointed a District Officer in charge of Malindi sub district. The appointment was sadly short as he died on September 8th in hospital of a Cerebral Haemorrhage. He was 66 years old. He was buried in the Mombasa Cemetery. The inscription on his headstone reads:-
In loving memory of
William Slade Hawkins
of the Provincial Administration
Born Reading 25th August 1888
Died Mombasa 8th September 1954
For over 40 years he devoted his life to Africa
In December 1925, Lewis married Vera HAVINDEN in Brentford, Middlesex. Lewis is known to have been employed in a Bank. He is recorded as initially being a Clerk but in later years as a Bank Official. Lewis and Vera appear to have travelled a lot. They are known to have visited Indonesia, Tangiers, Durban and Mombasa.
Lewis died in March 1967 and Vera died in 1990. Their ashes are buried in the Havinden family grave in St. Andrew and St. Cuthman Churchyard, Steyning, Horsham District, West Sussex.
Following the death of William in Mombasa, his wife Daisy returned to England and resided in Tilehurst, Reading. She died on March 28th 1974.
*Oliver Luther is mentioned on the War Graves site.
Division 29, Row G, Plot 36