Hawkes was born in
Adelaide, a son of John Henry Mason Hawkes (c. 1827 – 14 October 1858) and his wife Frances Sarah Ann Hawkes, née Symonds (c. 1831 – 15 February 1902). Frances arrived in South Australia in February 1849 aboard the ship
Marion; they married later that same year. She was in 1880 to marry again, to the recently widowed William Henville Burford. Hawkes grew up in
Port Adelaide, and at 13 was admitted to
Adelaide Educational Institution, where he was dubbed "Geometry Hawkes" by his schoolmates, and whose principal,
J. L. Young, was impressed by his ready grasp of complex mathematics. At a little over 16 he went to work for Robin and LeMessurier, timber merchants, of Port Adelaide, and at 18 became their accountant. The owner,
Theophilus Robin, died in September 1874, and his widow brought in
Theodore Hack to manage what became known as Robin & Hack. Hawkes remained with the company for ten years. Around early September 1884 he left for
Silverton, where a rush was on, and tried his hand at prospecting. A few months later, presumably after much hard work for little return, he travelled overland to Sydney, where his mathematical abilities were put to good use in overseeing construction of some complex buildings that were going up. His first job was superintending the erection of the
Hôtel Métropole, followed by a variety of other structures: bridges, mining plants, and other engineering work, including various jobs for the State Government. He was the first in Australia to employ giant cranes in construction of multi-storey buildings. and established a private practice. In later years his activity became impaired by attacks of acute rheumatism, and after 1916 he was confined to his home, where he died from heart failure. ==Other interests==