Résumé

General Manager, Winter Construction Company, Los Angeles, CA, c. 1918-1923.

Vice President and Treasurer, Winter Construction Company, Los Angeles, CA, 1932-c. 1950. The Winter Construction Company maintained its headquarters at 2404 West 7th Street in Downtown Los Angeles between at least 1923 and 1932.

Professional Activities

Member, Associated General Contractors of America, Los Angeles, CA, c. 1920. President Arthur S. Bent and Hawkins were instrumental in bringing the AGC's national convention to Los Angeles for the first time in 1923. (See “Meetings: Associated Contractors to Hold Convention in Los Angeles,” Journal of Electricity and Western Industry, vol. 49, no. 8, 10/15/1922, p. 301 and “Contractors Go East,” Los Angeles Times, 01/12/1922, p. A10 and "The A.G.C. Convention Summarized," The American Contractor, 02/17/1923, p. 21-25.) This 1923 event was the A.G.C.'s fourth annual national convention.

Vice-President, California. Contractors' State License Board, Sacramento, CA, c. 1947.

High School

According to a 1932 panel bearing a photograph and biographical details advertised on eBay on 04/03/2024, Hawkins "received his education in the schools of England, afterward coming to New York City and subsequently to Los Angeles in 1906."

Relocation

Known as "Brook" Hawkins, Robert Rosebrooke Morris Hawkins, was born in Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex, England on 03/03 likely in 1875. (Sources differ as to his date of birth. The California Death Index had it as 03/03/1872. [See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Place: Los Angeles; Date: 1 Mar 1952; Social Security: 548240226, accessed 04/03/2024.] A US Justice Department naturalization repatriation form for his wife Lilian D. Williams of 03/13/1942 indicated his birthdate to have been 03/03/1873. [See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives at Riverside; Perris, California; Records of District Courts of the United States; NAI Number: 623862; Record Group Title: Records of District Courts of the United States, 1685-2009; Record Group Number: 21, accessed 04/03/2024.] A baptismal record from Saint Mary-the-Virgin Church in Burnham-on-Crouch listed his birthdate as 03/03/1875 and baptismal date of 04/03/1875. [See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Essex Record Office; Chelmsford, Essex, England; Essex Church of England Parish Registers. accessed 04/03/2024.] As this record was the closest to his actual birthdate, this is likely the most reliable.)

The Hawkins family lived in the "Cupola House" in Burnham-on-Crouch, according to the 1881 Census of England. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Class: RG11; Piece: 1773; Folio: 26; Page: 4; GSU roll: 1341428, accessed 04/03/2024.) The 1891 English Census indicated that Robert lived with his parents and four siblings on High Street in Burnham-on-Crouch. No servants were reported as living with them in 1891. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives of the UK (TNA); Kew, Surrey, England; Census Returns of England and Wales, 1891; Class: RG12; Piece: 1395; Folio: 27; Page: 5; GSU roll: 6096505, accessed 04/03/2024.)

In 09/12/1918, he lived at 110 South Hoover Street in Los Angeles. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Registration State: California; Registration County: Los Angeles Source Information Ancestry.com. U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005, accessed 04/03/2024.)

Between at least 1930 and 1932, he resided with his wife and his stepdaughter Claire at 389 South Hoover Street in the vicinity of the Rampart Village neighborhood of Los Angeles. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1930; Census Place: Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Page: 22A; Enumeration District: 0387; FHL microfilm: 2339882, accessed 04/03/2024.) In 1930, the house was valued at $20,000, in line with neighboring dwellings, but substantially more than the average 1929 house price in 85 other US cities at $4,902, according to the New York Times.

In 1942, Lily and Brook Hawkins resided at 118 North Oxford Avenue in Los Angeles. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives at Riverside; Perris, California; Records of District Courts of the United States; NAI Number: 623862; Record Group Title: Records of District Courts of the United States, 1685-2009; Record Group Number: 21, accessed 04/03/2024.) The 1950 US Census indicated that Hawkins and his wife continued to reside at 118 North Oxford. (See Ancestry.com. Source Citation National Archives at Washington, DC; Washington, D.C.; Seventeenth Census of the United States, 1950; Year: 1950; Census Place: Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Roll: 2060; Page: 4; Enumeration District: 66-1076. accessed 04/03/2024.)

Parents

His father was John James Hawkins (born c. 1834 in Burnham-on-Crouch, England-d. c. 1896 in Burnham-on-Crouch, England), his mother Margaret Eliza Morris (born c. 05/1840 in Brixworth, Northamptonshire, England). (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Essex Record Office; Chelmsford, Essex, England; Essex Church of England Parish Registers. accessed 04/03/2024.) As noted on the 1871 English Census, John Hawkins worked as an auctioneer and oyster merchant in Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex, as indicated by the English Censuses of 1871, 1881 and 1891. In 1881, the family was sufficiently prosperous enough to employ a cook, Charlotte Brown (born c. 1854 in Burnham-on-Crouch, England) and a housemaid, Emma Lark (born c. 1865 in Tillingham, Essex, England). (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives; Kew, London, England; 1871 England Census; Class: RG10; Piece: 1671; Folio: 27; Page: 5; GSU roll: 829958, accessed 04/03/2024 and Ancestry.com, Source Citation Class: RG11; Piece: 1773; Folio: 26; Page: 4; GSU roll: 1341428, accessed 04/03/2024.)

The 1901 English Census indicated that his mother had taken over the oyster business following his father's death in 1896. In 1901, only three children remained living at home, with Robert living elsewhere. The family could afford a "general servant domestic" Jane E. Monk (born c. 1880 in Burnham-on-Crouch, England). (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Class: RG13; Piece: 1687; Folio: 36; Page: 4, accessed 04/03/2024.)

Brook Hawkins came from a large family that included at least six siblings: Grace Hawkins (born c. 1868 in Burnham-on-Crouch, England), Bertha Augusta Hawkins Knight (born 12/04/1868 in Burnham-on-Crouch, England-d. 08/28/1954 in England), John Hawkins (born c. 1870 Burnham-on-Crouch, England-d. 11/25/1934 in England), Leonard Octavius Hawkins (born 06/19/1876 in Burnham-on-Crouch, England), Hugh Marshall Hawkins (born c. 1878 in Burnham-on-Crouch, England-d. 1936 in England), and Helen Maud Eliza Hawkins (born 06/12/1883 in Burnham-on-Crouch, England-d. 1967 in England).

His brother Leonard and sister Helen had moved to the US living in the New York area.by 1918, although only Leonard remained in the US. He worked as an accountant for the Duesenberg Motors Corporation in their Newark and Elizabeth, NJ, facilities. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Registration State: New Jersey; Registration County: Union Source Information Ancestry.com. U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005, accessed 04/03/2024.)

Spouse

He wed Lilian Dora Williams Nicholson (born 08/25/1888 in New York, NY-d. 12/28/1966 in CA) on 09/17/1919 in Los Angeles County, CA. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California Department of Public Health, courtesy of www.vitalsearch-worldwide.com. Digital Images, accessed 04/03/2024.)

She married once before to James H. Nicholson (born c. 05/1875 in KY) on 11/29/1905 in Bayville, NY. (See Ancestry.com Source Citation New York State Department of Health; Albany, NY, USA; New York State Marriage Index, accessed 04/03/2024.) She had at least one child with him, Claire Virginia Nicholson Dudley (born 06/23/1907 in NY, NY-d. 12/14/1990 in Los Angeles County, CA).

Biographical Notes

His World War I draft registration card of 09/12/1918 recorded that Hawkins was Caucasian with brown eyes and brown-grey hair. He was tall and stout of build. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Registration State: California; Registration County: Los Angeles Source Information Ancestry.com. U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005, accessed 04/03/2024.)

In 1919, at the time of his marriage, Hawkins remained a citizen of Great Britain. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives at Riverside; Perris, California; Records of District Courts of the United States; NAI Number: 623862; Record Group Title: Records of District Courts of the United States, 1685-2009; Record Group Number: 21, accessed 04/03/2024.)

President, Los Angeles Kiwanis Club, Los Angeles, CA, c. 1920.

Hawkins worked with the flamboyant evangelist, Aimee Semple McPherson, to design a house for worship.

Member, California Hut for Disabled Veterans, Advisory Board, c. 1932.

Director, California Eisteddfod Association (organization of Welsh-Americans), Los Angeles, CA, c. 1932.

Member, Los Angeles Athletic Club, Los Angeles, CA, c. 1932.

Member, California Yacht Club, c. 1932.

Member, Gamut Club (a men's musical organization), Los Angeles, CA, c. 1932.

Member, Elks Club #99, Los Angeles, CA, c. 1932.

Member Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, Los Angeles, CA, c. 1932.

President, Kiwanis International Club, Los Angeles, CA, before 1932.

Chairman, Kiwanis International Club, Business Standards Committee, before 1932.

Director, Better America Federation, Los Angeles, CA, c. 1932.

Director, Citizens Committee of Ten Thousand, Los Angeles, CA, c. 1932.

SSN: 548240226.