Introduction
Roland George Hawkins began his working life as a web weaver, but his career was abruptly interrupted by the First World War. After losing three toes to trench foot, he was discharged from the army and found employment with Petters of Yeovil, where he spent the remainder of his working life in the engineering industry. Although he moved away from Hardington, he remained close to his roots, settling in the neighbouring village of East Chinnock.
Early Life
Roland George Hawkins was born on 17 January 1893, the seventh of eight children born to John Henry Hawkins, a stone mason, and his wife Frances (née White), who was the daughter of a farmer. He grew up at Hardington Moor and attended the village school.
In May 1905, Roland and his younger brother Albert were among fourteen Hardington children who gained junior certificates in the Diocesan Band of Hope examinations, reflecting both their educational achievement and involvement in the village’s temperance movement. By 1911, Roland was working as a weaver in a web factory, a position he held until the outbreak of the war.
War service
Roland enlisted in the Devonshire Regiment on December 11, 1915. After a period of serving at home, he arrived in France on November 18, 1916. However, in January 1917, he developed trench foot due to prolonged exposure to cold and wet conditions. In February, he was sent back to England, where he joined the Labour Corps, probably because his condition made him unfit for front-line infantry service. Unfortunately, his health continued to decline, resulting in the amputation of three toes. On August 25, 1917, he was discharged as physically unfit for further service. His discharge papers described him as 5 feet 8 inches tall, with dark brown hair, grey eyes and a fresh complexion.
Roland’s service formed part of a broader family contribution to the war effort. His brothers Ernest, Frederick and Albert also served, with Frederick losing his life during the conflict.[1]
Return to Civilian Life
Following his discharge, Roland secured employment with Petters Ltd of Yeovil as a woodworker, while his brother Albert joined the firm as a fitter. The company became an important engineering employer in the district and later developed interests in aircraft manufacturing through what became Westland. Despite the lasting effects of his wartime injuries, Roland appears to have remained in industrial employment for the rest of his working life.
In October 1920, his father purchased the family home from the Portman estate, which provided the family with greater financial security. His father died on 18 December 1922, leaving an estate valued at £202 15s. Under the terms of his will, his widow retained the house for five years before it passed to Roland’s brother Leopold, while the remainder of the estate was divided among the surviving children after her death in 1935. [2]
Marriage and family life
In 1924, Roland married Rose Axe of East Chinnock, the youngest daughter of Charles Axe, a woodsman. Rose worked as a glove machinist and continued in that occupation until at least 1939.
The couple had three children: Rex, who died in infancy, Cynthia June and Tony John. By 1939, they were living at Hyde Park Cottages, East Chinnock, and later resided at 466 East Chinnock. Unlike his surviving brothers, Roland established his home outside Hardington, although he moved only a short distance from the village in which he had been raised.
Cynthia married Gordon Richard Bragg of Yeovil in 1946, and Tony married Sylvia G. Sellars in 1963.
Roland died intestate on 23 November 1969, at the age of 76, leaving an estate valued at £3,090. Rose survived him by nearly nine years, passing away on 20 July 1978 at the age of 82, with an estate valued at £9,358.
Conclusion
Roland Hawkins belonged to a generation whose lives were profoundly affected by the First World War. Although his military service was cut short due to severe trench foot, leaving him permanently disabled, he successfully rebuilt his life through long-term employment in Yeovil’s engineering industry. His story illustrates a combination of wartime sacrifice and resilience, reflecting how many rural Somerset men adapted to the industrial opportunities emerging in the decades following the war.
References
[1] British Army World War I Pension Records 1914-1920.
[2] The will of John Henry Hawkins, dated 2 April 1921, proved at Taunton on 2 February 1923.