Death of John Hawkins (1885 in Southsea)

Simply put, Arthur Conan Doyle says that he met Louise (Touie) Hawkins when her brother was under his care and died. As Arthur wrote in Memories and Adventures:

In the year 1885 my brother left me to go to a public school in Yorkshire. Shortly afterwards I was married. A lady named Mrs. Hawkins, a widow of a Gloucestershire family, had come to Southsea with her son and daughter, the latter a very gentle and amiable girl. I was brought into contact with them through the illness of the son, which was of a sudden[Pg 65] and violent nature, arising from cerebral meningitis. As the mother was very awkwardly situated in lodgings, I volunteered to furnish an extra bedroom in my house and give the poor lad, who was in the utmost danger, my personal attention. His case was a mortal one, and in spite of all I could do he passed away a few days later. Such a death under my own roof naturally involved me in a good deal of anxiety and trouble—indeed, if I had not had the foresight to ask a medical friend to see him with me on the day before he passed away, I should have been in a difficult position. The funeral was from my house. The family were naturally grieved at the worry to which they had quite innocently exposed me, and so our relations became intimate and sympathetic, which ended in the daughter consenting to share my fortunes. 

It is pointed out in some biographical writings that a complaint was made against Doyle following Hawkins' death, and that the police visited Doyle. I must confess I don't fully understand what the concern would be - surely many doctors regularly had a 'resident patient'? And surely Doyle would have financially benefited from John Hawkins being a patient for weeks, not days? One suggestion is that the 'speed' at which the funeral/burial took place was suspicious (as if to cover something up related to malpractice).

I decided I wanted to look at the Death Certificate (death registration, really) to see whether Doyle was named on it. Indeed he is.

John Hawkins Death Certificate

District: Portsea, Volume: 2b, Page: 363

Superintendent Registrar's District Portsea Island

Registrars Sub-District Landport

1885 DEATHS in the Sub-District of Landport in the County of Southampton

No: 491

When and where died: 25th March 1885, 1 Bush Villas, Southsea

Name and surname: John Hawkins

Sex: Male

Age: 25 years

Rank or profession: Gentleman

Cause of death: Meningitis, Certified by A. Conan Doyle M.B.C.M.

Signature, Description, and Residence of Informant: Emily Hawkins, Mother, In attendance, 2 Queens Gate, Southsea

When registered: 26th March 1885

Signature of registrar: James P. Lancaster, Deputy Registrar

John's death was registered the day after his decease, which may seem fast but the Act required registration of death within 5 days.

I can find no announcement of his death in papers either in the Portsmouth area, or in his home town. I am spoilt but Australian papers of the time with very detailed death and funeral notices.

John was buried in the Highland Road Cemetery. The 'Friends' web page has information on John and his relationship to Conan Doyle, and thankfully includes a relatively low-resolution photograph of the headstone below.

In loving memory of

John Hawkins

Who entered into rest

March 25th 1885

Aged 25 years

I do not have access to burial records - but would like to as it would help understand the 

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I also looked at published 'Visitors Lists' for Southsea, where those holidaying or visiting friends would enter their presence and address so that others in the town could find them. Very useful record! The Visitors Book was a record of 'all fashionable movements' and could be filled out at 'Messrs Mills and Sons' - a nice strategy to get customers through the door!

Here are some examples of their visits entered. The '*' (asterisk) no the entry for 24 October 1884 shows that this was when Mrs Emily Hawkins and "the misses" began their off-season stay in Southsea - and were at the same address of 2 Queen's Gate, Southsea, up till when John died in late March, and at least a month later also. 

Hampshire Post and Southsea Observer - Friday 24 October 1884

Hampshire Post and Southsea Observer - Friday 31 October 1884

Portsmouth Times and Naval Gazette - Wednesday 18 March 1885

Hampshire Telegraph - Saturday 28 March 1885

Hampshire Telegraph - Saturday 25 April 1885

Biographies also state John was staying in the lodgings - but we do not see this in the published Visitor's Lists. It is possible he was not entered in the visitors book. There is one example (not shown above) where a Mr Hawkins is also entered.

Either way, for Mrs Hawkins and Louisa her daughter that's a stay of five months at the time John stayed, and they didn't live far apart (a 10 minute walk) - see the map below. It is stated that Hawkins was referred to Doyle by Dr. Royston Pike, who also practiced on Elm Grove. It has been suggested Doyle had met the Hawkins prior to John's medical episode.