William Thomas Hawkins was born on the 11th June 1887 at 35 Saul Street, Burslem and Baptised on the 11th November 1888 at St Pauls Church, Burslem. His parents were Thomas Hawkins born c.1858 at Burslem and Elizabeth nee Furness Born c.1858 at Tunstall. 

Thomas and Elizabeth were married on the 4th Aug 1878 at St Peter ad Vincula, Stoke on Trent. They would go on to have five children. Samuel Lewis born 26.10.1883 at Burslem, Mary Lucy born c. 1885 at Burslem, William Thomas born in 1887 at Burslem, Thomas born 11.07.1890 at Burslem and James born 14.03.1895 at 8 Hales Square,Burslem.

As we follow the family through the Census records we see they are strongly connected to the potteries.

The 1891 Census shows us that William was a 3 year old living with his family at 8 Hales Street, Burslem. His father Thomas, aged 33, was employed as a Potters Placer. His mother Elizabeth, also aged 33 years, was on domestic duties. Samuel Lewis is 8, Mary Lucy is 5, Thomas is 9 months. There is a lodger, Charles Furness, a brother in law aged 13, born Stoke, who is a Potters Mould Turner.

The 1901 Census shows that William is now aged 13 and working as a Potters Mould Runner. His father Thomas now 43 is still a Potters Placer, Elizabeth still Domestic Duties, Samuel Lewis is now aged 18 and a Potters Labourer, Mary Lucy aged 15 is a Potters Thimble Packer, Thomas is aged 11 and James aged 5. They are living at 56 Rushton Road, Cobridge, Burslem. 

William Thomas's mother Elizabeth Hawkins died on the 22nd February 1907 aged 49 of a Stroke. Her address at the time of death was 8 Sandbach Road, Burslem. His father Thomas Hawkins remarried Ellen née James in 1908. 

William Thomas Hawkins married Hannah Rhodes on the 13th Oct 1904 at Christ Church Cobridge. 

The 1911 census shows he was living at 77 Slater Street, Burslem with his wife Hannah, it is recorded they have been married for 6 years and had three children two of which had died, William Thomas born 1905, died 1906  and Mary Lucy born 1908 died 1909, the surviving child Harry born 05.11.1909. William is employed as a Potters Placer, Hannah is on Domestic Duties. They have 2 lodgers Thomas Hawkins the younger brother of William Thomas aged 20 a Potters Placer born Burslem and his wife Jane Hawkins aged 21 a Ware Cleaner born Burslem.

The 1911 census also shows William Thomas's older brother Samuel Lewis Hawkins having married Eliza nee Peaty in 1904 living at 16 Sandbach Road, Cobridge, Burslem, and their younger brother James Hawkins is living with them. 

Their sister Mary Lucy Hawkins married Harry Rhodes on 23 Sep 1906 at Cobridge Church. Harry was the younger brother to Hannah Rhodes and in 1911 they are living at 88 Leonard St, Burslem, Brother in law Harry Rhodes, Enlisted Age 30 into the Royal Field Artillery service number 186159 in 1915 his home address being 73 Elms St, Burslem Staffs. 

Their father Thomas Hawkins, now aged 53 is working as a Potter Glost placer and is living at 23 Croft Street Burslem with his wife Ellen and their daughter Lizzie Hawkins and step sons Charles and Henry Askey. 

William had joined the Army on the 3rd December 1915 and was placed in the reserves, he gave his home address as 79 Slater Street, Burslem and his age as 29. His service papers survive but are in poor condition. He was allocated service number 45605 and was embodied to full service on the 4th June 1917 and was sent to France on the 5th October 1917. We can see that William and Hannah now have an additional child called Thomas born 04.07.1912.

William was killed in action on the 29th April 1918 serving with the 4th North Staffordshire Regiment in France. The battalion war diary tells us that they had moved into the front line on the 26th April 1918 and on the 29th one soldier was killed, this was William. It does not offer any indication of how his death came about.

Staffordshire Sentinel reports show us that William's Wife was informed of his death in May of 1918

THE NORTH STAFFORDS.

Latest List of Casualties.

The following casualties in the North Staffordshire Regiment are reported:

KILLED IN ACTION.

Mrs. H. Hawkins, 79, Slater-street, Middleport, Burslem, has received official news that her husband. Pte. William Thomas Hawkins, North Staffordshire Regiment, was killed in action on April 29th. He was 30 years of age, and prior to enlistment he was employed by Messrs. Doulton, Burslem. In addition to a widow, Private Hawkins leaves two children. Two brothers and a brother-in-law are serving.

HAWKINS.-In loving memory of Pte. William Thomas Hawkins, of North Staffords, beloved husband of Hannah Hawkins, of 79. Slater-street, Burslem, who was killed in action April: 29th, 1918, aged 30 years. Memorial Service on Sunday, June 2nd 1918. Middleport Wesleyan Chapel, at 6 o'clock, All relatives and friends invited.

William is buried in the BOUZINCOURT COMMUNAL CEMETERY Grave ref C.1.  

He is also remembered on the Royal Doulton Kilngate Memorial.

He was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal

William Thomas's widow Hannah remarried to Clyde Owen, he was first married in 1909 to Florence nee Greaves , they had two children Harold born 1913 and Laura 1915 , Florence died in 1915. Clyde and Hannah married in 1919 and in 1921 were living together with all four children at 79 Slater St, Burslem, Staffordshire. 

The Sentinel newspaper reported on 18th March 1930 the death of Thomas Hawkins aged 17.  

HAWKINS.-On March 16th, at London-Road Hospital, Thomas, beloved son of Hannah and the late William Thomas Hawkins, of 79, Slater-Street, Burslem, aged 17 years. Interment, Burslem Cemetery, Thursday next, at 3.30. Relatives and friends please accерt this, the only intimation.

SOURCES.

• Indexes created from Anglican Parish Registers held at Staffordshire Record Office; Stafford, Staffordshire, England
• Ancestry.com. England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014.
• FreeBMD. England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1837-1915 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.
• The National Archives of the UK (TNA); Kew, Surrey, England; Census Returns of England and Wales, 1891; Class: RG12; Piece: 2165; Folio: 79; Page: 31; GSU roll: 6097275
• Census 1901: Class: RG13; Piece: 2597; Folio: 37; Page: 9
• The National Archives of the UK (TNA); Kew, Surrey, England; Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911
• The National Archives of the UK (TNA); Kew, Surrey, England; 1921 Census Returns; Reference: RG 15/12629, ED 15, Sch 224; Book: 12629.
• The National Archives; London, England, UK; War Office: Soldiers' Documents, First World War Wo363
• Forces War Records, UK, WWI, British Army Medal Roll Index Cards, 1914-1920 (https://uk.forceswarrecords.com/publication/932/uk-wwi-british-army-medal-roll-index-cards-1914-1920 : accessed 13 Apr 2026), database and images, https://uk.forceswarrecords.com/publication/932/uk-wwi-british-army-medal-roll-index-cards-1914-1920
• Commonwealth War Graves Commission; Author: Peter Singlehurst; Series Title: British Commonwealth War Graves Registers, 1914-1918; Archive Name: London, United Kingdom
• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/58783215/william_thomas-hawkins/flower
• Western Front Association; London, England; WWI Pension Record Cards and Ledgers; Reference: 093/0425/Haw-Hay
• Military-Genealogy.com, comp. UK, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008.
• National Army Museum; Chelsea, London, England; Soldiers' Effects Records, 1901-60; NAM Accession Number: 1991-02-333; Record Number Ranges: 707501-709000; Reference: 423
• The Staffordshire Sentinel, Daily and Weekly; Publication Date: 28 May 1918; Publication Place: Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England; URL: https://www.newspapers.com/image/973027969/?article=d71f48a8-47ad-473c-b5be-c5d6b983d588&xid=5907&terms=William_Thomas_Hawkins 
• https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000347/19180516/093/0004 16.05.1918 
• https://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?r=78293193:0358&d=bmd_1774231192