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Players Index Page Last Updated
12 August 2025
 
 

Bob Hawkes

Luton Town AFC

 5 appearances, 0 goals

P 5 W 5 D 0 L 0 F 29: A 2
100% successful
1907-08

captain: none
minutes played: 450

Timeline
  Robert Murray Hawkes
Birth Monday, 18 October 1880 in Breachwood Green, Kings Walden, Hertfordshire
  registered in Hitchin October-December 1880
Education Luton Higher Grade School
 

According to the 1881 census, Robert M. [Hawks] is the only child of Charles and Ellen (née Hammett). They live at Breachwood Green in Kings Walden, Hitchin. His father is a boot maker.

 

According to the 1891 census, Robert Murray is still an only child, and he and his parents now live at 36 Vicarage Street in Luton.  His father still a boot maker, his mother now a dressmaker. Robert's widowed grandmother and Uncle now live with them.
 

According to the 1901 census, Robert Murray is still the only child, and he lives with his parents at 20 Hastings Street in Luton.  He is now a manager at a straw hat manufacturer. His father still makes boots.

Marriage to Rose Butcher, on Saturday, 18 September 1909 at Wellington Street Baptist Church, Luton, Bedfordshire
  registered in Luton July-September 1909
"MARRIAGES  Sept 18., at the Wellington-street Baptist Church, Luton, by the Rev. F. C. Hughes, pastor, Robert Murray Hawkes to Rose Butcher, both of Luton." - The Bedfordshire Advertiser & Luton Times, Friday, 24 September 1909.
"MR. R. M. HAWKES MARRIED.
"Mr. 'Bob' Hwakes, the captain of Luton Town, was not with his team on Saturday. There was good reason for his absence; he was being married. The ceremony took place at Wellington-street Baptist Church, in the presence of a large congregation. The bride was Miss Rose Butcher (third daughter of Mr. W. Butcher, Crawley-road). Pastor F. C. Hughes officiated, and the service was choral, the choir leading the singing of 'The Voice that breathed o'er Eden,' and 'O Love Divine.' The bride dressed in white silk, trimmed with silk embroidered lace, was given away by her father. Misses Daisy and Nellie Butchers (sisters) were the bridesmaids, while Mr. H. J. Greaves officiated as best man. After the ceremony, the wedding breakfast was served at the home of the bride's parents. The happy couple received numerous presents. The proposal of the directors of the Luton Town Club to present the bridegroom with a piano having received the sanction of the Football Association, the players will present him with a marble clock, while the supporters of the winter game will also show their good wishes in a practical form. The honeymoon is being spent in Eastbourne." - The Bedfordshire Advertiser & Luton Times, Friday, 24 September 1909.
Children Bob and Rose Hawkes had three children together. Marjorie Rose (b.7 October 1910), Robert Murray (b.November 1911) and Eric Clifford (b.1 March 1915)
 

According to the 1911 census, Robert Murray is now married to Rose, with a six month-old daughter, Marjorie. He is still manufacturing straw hats and they live at 6 Stanley Street in Luton.
"DEATHS  March 22nd, at 6 Stanley-street, Luton, Robert Murray Hawkes, aged 5 months." - The Bedfordshire Advertiser & Luton Times, Friday, 29 March 1912.
 

Kelly's Directory and Bedfordshire Electoral Registers state that they were at Stanley Street up until at least 1915, but also at 27 Highfield Road in 1913
His father died 9 April 1915.
  "Robert M. Hawkes (36), married, B1, captain of the Luton Town Football Club, Lyndhurst Road, Luton, carrying on business as a straw hat manufacturer at Stanley Street, Luton, appeared before Luton Tribunal on Wednesday, and he said he only had one blocker, who was over 60, and he personally did the stiffening, the stiffener having gone into the army.—'Don't you think it is time you went and did a bit at the Front, Mr. Hawkes,' said Lieut. Gardner.—'Well, to be perfectly candid, I don't think I should,' was the reply. 'I don't see how my people can manage if I go.'—'You have had a lot of training,' said Lieut. Gardner. 'You know you are half a soldier already—more than half.'—'I am prepared to stick to that part of the business (Volunteers) in case of an invasion,' was the reply.—Lieut. Gardner: A good many would like to have the lesser sacrifice if they could be allowed to remain.—The Town Clerk: Well, the Appeals Tribunal let a single man remain.—Lieut. Gardner: There are circumstances and circumstances.—The Town Clerk: Yes, when a man has a wife and two children that's different from a single man.—Conditional exemption confirmed." - The Leighton Buzzard Observer, Tuesday, 24 July 1917.
The Electoral Registers place now Robert Murray and Rose at 19 Lyndhurst Road in 1918.
According to the 1921 census, Robert Murray, still a manufacturer of straw hats, is still married, and now have another child, a son, Eric, now living at 55 Dale Road in Luton.
And according to the Registers, they were still there in 1922 until at least his death.
"DEATHS  HAWKES.—October 8th, at 6, Stanley-street, Luton, Ellen Hawkes, aged 71." - The Luton News & Bedfordshire Advertiser, Thursday, 14 October 1926.
"DEATHS  HAWKES.—December 19, at 6, Stanley-street, Luton, Rose Hawkes, aged 53."
  "The funeral takes place at Luton General Cemetery to-day of Rose Hawkes, wife of Mr. R. M. (Bob) Hawkes, a former captain of Luton Town F.C." - The Luton News & Bedfordshire Advertiser, Thursday, 31 December 1936.
  According to the 1939 register, widowed Robert M. is an electrical store and heating salesman living at 34 Ashburnham Road in Luton. Living with his children Marjorie and Eric.
"Bob Hawkes Dead  Luton Town's left-half and captain for many years, Bob Hawkes, who played for Englandin 1907, and obtained 20 amateur international caps between 1900 and 1912, died on Saturday at the age of 64. He is seriously ill at his home in Luton." - Daily Herald, Monday, 10 September 1945.
"Incorrect Report Of Footballer's  Death.
"A report that Robert M. Hawkes, former Luton Town and England amateur footballer, is dead, is incorrect. He is seriously ill at his home in Luton." - The Gloucestershire Echo, Monday, 10 September 1945.
Death Wednesday, 12 September 1945 in Luton, Bedfordshire
aged 64 years 329 days registered in Luton July-September 1945
Obituary
"Robert Hawkes, the former Luton Town and England half-back, died at Luton yesterday." - Birmingham Post/Belfast news-letter, Thursday, 13 September 1945
Source

Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990] &

Playing Career

Club(s)		 Played in Luton schoolboy football and for local junior clubs, Stanley FC, Victoria FC and Clarence FC. He became a Luton Town AFC amateur in 1901, taking ten years to turn professional, 30 August 1911. He had been made club captain when Luton turned professional in 1905. He made his final appearance for Luton in 1919, and played the rest of the season with Bedford Town FC, before retiring with 349 Southern League appearances under his belt, and forty goals.
Club honours Southern League Division Two runners-up 1913-14;
Individual honours Hertfordshire FA (four appearances)
Distinctions None
Height/Weight 5' 8½", 10st. 8lbs [1907].
Source

Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990].

England Career
Player number One of five who became 321st players (323) to appear for England
Position(s) Left-half
First match No. 89, 16 February 1907, England 1 Ireland 0, a British Championship match at Goodison Park, Walton, Liverpool, aged 26 years 121 days.
Last match
1 year 118 days		 No. 98, 13 June 1908, Bohemia 0 England 4, an end-of-season Continental tour match at Stadión Letná, Praha, aged 27 years 239 days.
Major tournaments British Championship 1906-07;
Team honours None

Individual honours		 The South (two appearances, January 1904-January 1907);
England Amateur (nineteen appearances, 2ᵍ 5ᶜ November 1906-November 1910);
The Amateurs (one appearance, December 1906);
Great Britain London 1908 (three appearances 2ᵍ;) Olympic Gold Medal
Distinctions The most appearanced Englishman at Luton Town FC. The first to come from Hertfordshire, as well as from Luton Town

Beyond England
Allegedly had a metal plate in his head. - An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who. Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.123/124.


The Numbers
parties Appearances comp. apps minutes captain
5 5 1 450 0 none
The minutes here given can only ever be a guideline and cannot therefore be accurate, only an approximation.
P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
5 5 0 0 29 2 +27 0 3 5.8 0.4 100 +5

Venue Record

Venue P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
Home 1 1 0 0 1 0 +1 0 1 1.00 0.00 100.0 +1
Away 4 4 0 0 28 2 +26 0 2 7.00 0.50 100.0 +4

Competition Record

Competition P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
British Championship 1 1 0 0 1 0 +1 0 1 1.00 0.00 100.0 +1
Friendly 4 4 0 0 28 2 +26 0 2 7.00 0.50 100.0 +4

Opposition Record
 
Opposition P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
Austria 2 2 0 0 17 2 +15 0 0 8.50 0.00 100.0 +2
Ireland 1 1 0 0 1 0 +1 0 1 1.00 0.00 100.0 +1
Hungary 1 1 0 0 7 0 +7 0 1 3.50 0.00 100.0 +1
Bohemia 1 1 0 0 4 0 +4 0 1 4.00 0.00 100.0 +1
 
 Tournament Record

British Championship Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 1906-07 1 1 0 0 1 0 +1 0 1 1.00 0.00 100.0 +1
BC All 1 1 0 0 1 0 +1 0 1 1.00 0.00 100.0 +1

All Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 1 1 0 0 1 0 +1 0 1 1.00 0.00 100.0 +1
1 1 0 0 1 0 +1 0 1 1 0 100 +1

Match History
 Club: Luton Town F.C. - five full appearances (450 min) F.A. International Select Committee - five full appearances (450 min)x

apps match match details comp res. rundown pos

Age 24 trial  
one appearance - The South vs. The North, January 1904;

Age 26 amateur  
one appearance - France, November 1906;
trial
one appearance - The Professionals vs. The Amateurs, 3 December 1906;
amateur  
one appearance - Ireland, 15 December 1906;
trial
one appearances - The South vs. The North, 28 January 1907;

1 89 16 February 1907 - England 1 Ireland 0
Goodison Park, Liverpool		 BC HW   lh
 

one of five who became the 321st player (323) to appear for England
the first player from Luton Town FC to represent England

amateur  
one appearance - Netherlands, 1 April 1907;

Age 27    
five appearances - Ireland, December 1907; Wales, February 1908; France, March 1908;
Belgium & Germany April 1908;

2 95 6 June 1908 - Austria 1 England 6
Cricketer Platz, Wien
tour		 AW   lh
3 96 8 June 1908 - Austria 1 England 11
Hohe Warte Stadion, Wien		 AW   lh
4 97 10 June 1908 - Hungary 0 England 7
Millenáris Sportpálya, Buda-pesth		 AW   lh
5 98 13 June 1908 - Bohemia 0 England 4
Stadión Letná, Praha		 AW   lh
 

amateur  
one appearance - Swedenᶜ, September 1908;

Age 28 olympic  
three appearances for Great Britain - Sweden, Netherlands & Denmark, October 1908;
amateur  
five appearances - Germany, March 1909; Netherlands & Belgium, April 1909, Switzerland & France, May 1909;

Age 29    
four appearances - Netherlands, December 1909; Belgiumᶜ, March 1910, Switzerlandᶜ, April 1910;
Denmarkᶜ, May 1910;

Age 30    
one appearance - Irelandᶜ, November 1910;

  

 
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