Hawkins (an only child) was born in
Tewkesbury, England, in 1883. The
River Avon flowed through the bottom of her garden. She grew up and was educated in England, and later married a
tea and
rubber plantation manager in
Ceylon: George Hawkins. The two corresponded after George read one of Kathleen's poems and their correspondence soon blossomed into romance. Hawkins left England to live with George in Ceylon, where they were married two years after their correspondence began. She lived on the plantation for 20 years and mixed with the
Ceylonese. She later recalled this time as a happy and colourful period in her life. She had few problems communicating despite only knowing English and said relations between Europeans and Ceylonese were friendly. The couple had two children: George Hawkins and Mary Gilmer (née Hawkins). In 1938, the couple retired to Tauranga in New Zealand. George made the lifestyle change away from the heat to a colder climate for health reasons. She lived in Tauranga for the remainder of her life, some 43 years. George died in 1953 at the age of 79. In Tauranga she established herself as a well known personality with interests in the theatre, writing and the arts. She was a member of The Elms Society. Kathleen died in 1981 at the age of 97. A note on her appeared in the
Bay of Plenty Times. The NZ Biographies Index at the
National Library of New Zealand also notes Hawkins. == Literary output ==