Find Ancestors

The death cert(s) may hold helpful info

Nothing in 'Newspapers' on FMP

Suggest you try contacting the nearest main public library

The 1978 entries were late entries for deaths which presumably should have been registered in 1977.

If you look at the image of the actual Index on FreeBMD you will see that in 1977 the entries are hand-written additions at the bottom of the page, whereas in 1978 they are typed entries in the main body of the page.


Re late entries:

https://www.freebmd.org.uk/late-entry-help.html

From British Newspaper Archive, though I don't have a sub to see the full article:


War fears led father to kill his daughters

... aged 29, believed Europe was a spent force and war was inevitable. Hawkes, of Simla Close, Deptford, London, pleaded not guilty to the 'murder of his daughters Deborah, nine, and Marion, five, but guilty , to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished ...
Published: Tuesday 14 March 1978
Newspaper: Liverpool Echo
County: Lancashire, England
Type: Article | Words: 237 | Page: 1 | Tags: none


https://tinyurl.com/jpz6jrvw


ADDED:
See fuller version in my next post.

Oh my gosh Argyll Gran, that's definitely the family. I will follow up with the BNA but strange its in a Liverpool Newspaper.

So it seems the girls died in 1977 but the deaths not registered until 1978 - possibly as an Inquest after a death prevented the immediate issuing of a death certificate. I wanted to search by the father's name but there are two possible marriages? Any thoughts?

Marriages Jun 1970 (>99%)
COLE Phyllis G WHALL Lewisham 5d 642 Scan available - click to view
GREY Phyllis G WHALL Lewisham 5d 642 Scan available - click to view
HAWKES Reginald A WEST Lewisham 5d 642 Scan available - click to view
WEST Sheila P HAWKES Lewisham 5d 642 Scan available - click to view
WHALL Robert D COLE Lewisham 5d 642 Scan available - click to view
WHALL Robert D GREY Lewisham 5d 642 Scan available - click to view

Marriages Mar 1967 (>99%)
Galea Stephen Hicks Richmond/Ths 5d 1902 Scan available - click to view
HAWKES RODNEY WEST RICHMOND/THS 5D 1902 Scan available - click to view
Hicks Hilda M Galea Richmond/Ths 5d 1902 Scan available - click to view
WEST Rita A HAWKES Richmond/Ths 5d 1902 Scan available - click to view

Interestingly, Deborah's birth registration was also a late entry:


Births Mar 1968 (>99%)
HAWKES Deborah Ann (mmn West ) Greenwich 5b S70

Births Sep 1970 (>99%)
HAWKES Deborah Ann WEST Greenwich 5b 1393



Births Mar 1972 (>99%)
HAWKES Marian Jane WEST Greenwich 5b 1031




Their father was Reginald.


By manipulating the search terms on BNA:

War fears led father to kill his daughters

A FATHER who studied politics and world affairs—and feared for the future—killed his two young daughters, an Old Bailey court was told to-day. Mr. Don Hobis, QC, defending. told the Recorder of London, Mr. James Miskin, QC, that as a result of the political studies Reginald Alan Hawkes, aged 29, believed Europe was a spent force and war was inevitable. Hawkes, of Simla Close, Deptford, London, pleaded not guilty to the 'murder of his daughters Deborah, nine, and Marion, five, but guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility. He was sent to Broadmoor for an indefinite period . Mr. Hollis said that while Mrs. Hawkes was away on a catering course, Mr. Hawkes reflected on Deborah's personality and realised she was meek and, in his view, genetically inadequate. He thought it a kindness to kill her and regarded it as an act of euthanasia. Mr. David Jefferies, prosecuting, said the children died on different dates between October 2 and 15 last year. Hawkes gave Deborah vodka, mixed with drugs, and put her in a bath. She died from drowning. He wrapped her body in blankets and hid it under floorboards in a cupboard. A dew days later he gave Marion vodka and cider mixed with drugs and put her in the bath, too. She also died from drowning, and he then took a non-lethal dose of poison himself. "


[I think that's all - thank goodness. What an upsetting story.
His poor wife! ]


He may still be alive - I don't see his death.

Deborah Ann Hawkes
in the UK and Ireland, Find a Grave Index, 1300s-Current
Name: Deborah Ann Hawkes
Gender: F (Female)
Birth Date: 14 Jan 1968
Birth Place: Lewisham, London Borough of Lewisham, Greater London, England
Death Date: 14 Oct 1977
Death Place: New Cross, London Borough of Lewisham, Greater London, England
Cemetery: Grove Park Cemetery
Burial or Cremation Place: Grove Park, London Borough of Lewisham, Greater London, England
Plot: A339.


Marian's buried in the same grave.
Same date of death given for both.

Photos:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/195866811/deborah-ann-hawkes


In loving memory of
Deborah Ann
aged 9 years
and
Marian Jane Hawkes
aged 5 years
Died 14th Oct 1977
Grant them Thy eternal rest.

The Liverpool Echo article ArgyllGran found, was on FMP.

AG has kindly transcribed it, but I will also pm you a snip of the article.

Selena, I've deleted it as it the man may still be alive but I have pm a snippit.

He was born 1948 Greenwich which is all in the same area

Sent to broadmoor but could still be alive

My area of birth too before we moved to Kent .!

PM from Selena today:

"Just to say I visited the grave today. Left a little something as a memory from childhood. Thank you so much for helping with this."


You're very welcome, Selena.

Such a sad story, glad we could help.