About this site

Eric Hawkins was born on January 8th 1915 and died at the age of 95 on the 31st of October 2010 after a short illness. Apart from the last two years, following the death of his wife Ellen (with whom he had been married for almost 70 years), he enjoyed excellent health. He was professionally active throughout his life and never really retired. First he was a teacher, then a soldier, a headmaster, professor, adviser and writer, primarily in the service of language teaching and of education more generally. His professional impact was quite exceptional and far-reaching, as the tributes make clear. He has been recognized nationally with the award of a CBE and internationally through various prestigious honours. His books and papers are read and cited globally and his former pupils and students are now leaders in their respective fields in this country and abroad.

Eric leaves behind two children, four grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. He lived in different parts of England, in Liverpool, the Wirral, York and Hull, with substantial periods of time spent also in Denmark, France, Spain, Germany and China. He travelled extensively, to Africa, America, Asia and Australia. His children and grandchildren evidently picked up his "Wanderlust" and now live in England, Spain and America. When we, Anne and John, began discussing the most appropriate memorial it seemed to us most fitting to make use of one of the wonders of modern technology and set up this website to which everyone, in different parts of the country and of the world, could contribute. To have a local service or memorial seemed too restrictive somehow, and so we developed the website idea instead.

Here's what we have in mind. Obituaries and official tributes are already being prepared for newspapers, school and university magazines, and for professional organizations, and these will all be collected and uploaded on this site as well, along with a list of his publications and a curriculum vitae. So what we would like to see from contributors to the website are the thoughts of those of you whose lives he has touched: family, friends, colleagues, pupils and students. Share with us, and with one another, your reminiscences, as if you were at a memorial service and stood up to speak. How did he touch your life? What influence did he have on you and others? What do you remember best? Were there any particular events or get-togethers you would like to recall? Any qualities that were especially important to you? Any anecdotes or incidents worth sharing? You can send in photographs or other items if you wish. Try to keep it informal, and light. Eric led a good, long and healthy life. (He was also, in his own words, "bloody lucky" to have survived the war!) It doesn't all have to be sad at this point. On the contrary, treat it as a celebration of a rich, fulfilling and joyful life. And as you comment and reminisce, think of what others, who knew him perhaps in a different capacity, would be interested to learn. Think of what Eric himself might like to hear or of what you would like to tell him. You never know, he might just be listening in! Your comments don’t have to be long or elegantly composed. Short and concise is good. Just give your full name, explain who you are, and say it like it is. You may also want to react to, or amplify on, something that others have said, and so make this interactive. The great grandkids may want to draw a picture. I think you get the idea of what we’re hoping for in these pages.

We are fortunate to have the technical assistance of one of John’s most accomplished graduate students in the Research Centre for English and Applied Linguistics at Cambridge, Chris Cummins. Chris manages the website for the Research Centre and has kindly agreed to coordinate the Remembering Eric Hawkins site as well. Send your thoughts and contributions to him directly by email at c.r.cummins@gmail.com. Chris will upload the material that you send him and will thereby avoid spam and other abuses of websites such as this. If you have questions about where and how your contribution appears, or about the details of an attachment, contact Chris directly by email.

We look forward to seeing how all this evolves, we thank you for any contributions you may wish to make, and we hope you will enjoy reading the website and participating in this very modern form of a memorial tribute.

John Hawkins & Anne Jackson (née Hawkins)