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b.1881-d.1918
Frederick’s parents
Frederick’s parents were Frederick Robson Hawkins and Sophie née Oglas. Their marriage was registered in the March quarter of 1880, reference Kent 2a 555.
The birth of Frederick Edward Hawkins was registered in the December quarter of1881, reference Gravesend 2a 488.
Frederick was baptised on 9 June 1885 in Holy Trinity Church, Gravesend. His parents were Frederick and Sophia. They lived at 4 East Terrace. Four others of their children were baptised on that day.
Frederick’s siblings
In the 1881 Census his parents were living in 14 Church Street , Gravesend. Frederick Hawkins (mis-transcribed as Harbings) was a boarder, aged 24, a mariner born Chaleslie (?) Kent. Sophia was also a boarder, married aged 22, born Gravesend.
In the Census of 1891 at 19 King Street Poplar were Frederick Hawkins, head, aged 34 seaman, Sophia, his wife, aged 32, and their children
- Frederick age 9
- Charles age 4
- Sophia age 5
- George age 2 and
- Grace age 3 months.
All were born in Gravesend apart from Grace who was born in Poplar.
Guilty of larceny and stealing
On 17 December 1894 Frederick, aged 13, was found guilty of larceny. He was sentenced to receive 6 strokes of the birch rod.
A year later in 1895 aged 14, he was found guilty of stealing pigeons and was sent to a Reformatory School Ship until he was 16.
The ship “Cornwall” anchored off Purfleet Essex was the closest Reformatory Ship to London.
Frederick, aged 13 (?) and brother George, aged 10, were admitted to the City of London Union Workhouse, Bow Road on 3 March 1897. Both were labourers. Frederick was discharged on 10 March and George was discharged on 7 April . Both were discharged into the custody of PC 419.
On 15 December 1897 Frederick pleaded guilty to burglary and was sentenced to 15 months hard labour in Wandsworth prison.
In the 1901 Census at 57 Dale Road West Ham were Frederick Hawkins, head, aged 44, labourer, Sophia, his wife, aged 42, and their children,
- Frederick age 20 labourer
- Charles age 18 labourer
- Sophia age 15 and
- George age 13
All were born in Gravesend Kent. There were 7 other people in the house.
Charged with assault and being drunk
On 2 November 1901 the Tower Hamlets and East End Local Advertiser newspaper had an article about Frederick Hawkins. He was 21, a labourer of 169 Plasher Lane, Upton Park. He was charged with assault and being drunk. He was fined £1 and 12 shillings or 21 days in prison with hard labour.
The records of the Dreadnought Seaman’s Hospital in Greenwich show that on 17 November 1902 Fred. Hawkins age 21, a fireman (i.e. a stoker) of the ship Dunolly Castle was admitted suffering from gonorrhoeal warts. He was discharged on 20 November marked as “cured”
Frederick’s mother and sister sentenced to hard labour
On 9 July, 1903, Sophia, aged 44, and her daughter Sophia aged 17 went on trial at the Old Bailey. Both were charged with stealing and receiving stolen goods. Sophia the elder was sentenced to 6 months hard labour. Her daughter received 8 months hard labour.
Robbery with violence – and previous convictions
On 16 October 1905 Frederick and Benjamin Lawless were found guilty of robbery with violence at the Old Bailey. They beat up and stole £1-10 shillings from William Cadigan, a fireman. They were sentenced to 5 years in prison. Frederick in his defence said he was of good character, was in the Royal Naval Reserve and had good discharge certificates.
The police said that there were previous convictions against him, he was a bad character, and he had destroyed his discharge papers. The previous convictions and prison sentences were,
- 27 November 1900, assault,14 days
- 20 April 1901, suspected person, 1 month
- 31 January 1902, suspected person, 3 months.
Following the robbery, he was arrested for assaulting and robbing a man the previous month. He was also charged with this offence.
Admission to Long Grove – and death
On 10 February 1910 he was admitted to Long Grove Asylum.
On 22 November 1910 the Poor Law Removal and Settlement Records show that on 10 February 1910 he was sent from the Stepney Workhouse to Long Grove Asylum. Stepney Workhouse maintained that he was not settled in Stepney and that the Poplar Workhouse was financially responsible for him. Two Justices of the Peace agreed and on 25 November ordered Poplar to reimburse Stepney for their costs.
The Register of Habitual Criminals recoded that Frederick Hawkins, born 1881 in Kent, was convicted on 16 October 1905 of robbery and was sent to Parkhurst prison for 5 years. His sentence would expire on 15 October 1910. Under the heading “date of liberation, intended address, and occupation”, the following was recorded “10 February 1910, Long Grove Asylum Epsom, and Fireman”. Under “comments “ was written “insane”.
It appears that he was released from Parkhust, then admitted into Stepney Workhouse, and from there sent to Long Grove Asylum.
He died in Long Grove Asylum on 21 February 1918. He was buried in Horton cemetery on 28 February 1918.
