John Lane and Emma Margaret Hawkins - A Double Life

Taphophilia is a passion for and enjoyment of cemeteries.

Monument to Emma Margaret and John Lane Hawkins, Arthur Clark, Ione, Ethel Lane Clark and Susan Molly Cuthbert.  All Saints Cemetery, Maidenhead, Berkshire.


"In loving memory of a dear mother and wife Emma Margaret Hawkins who died November 10th 1914 aged 71 years

John Lane Hawkins beloved husband of the above died Sept 27th 1918

Arthur Clark died April 4th 1934

Our dear mother Ethel Lane Clark, died March 31st 1953 aged 84 years

Ione died Jan 28th 1971

In loving memory of Susan Molly Cuthbert aged 9 years"


Emma Margaret Hawkins was born Emma Margaret Crocker on 22nd September 1843 to Albert John Crocker, a warehouseman, and his wife Charlotte Hawkins.  Emma first appears on the 1851 Census living with her parents and siblings at Goose Green in East Dulwich.  Unfrotunately I have been unable to trace Emma on the 1861 Census.

On 12th January 1865 in St Lukes Parish, Camberwell Emma married John Lane Hawkins.

John Lane Hawlins was born on 15th January 1841 to John Hawkins, a suveyor and stockbroker, and his wife Wilhelmina.

Both John Lane and Emma Margaret appear on the 1871 census visiting Emma's sister Alice Marion and her husband Edward Thomas Irving at 12 St Stephen's Square, Paddington, London, not long after the birth of their fourth child, a daughter Millicent Lane.  The first child, a daughter Amy Constance had sadly died in 1870 aged only 4 years.  Their second child, a daughter Ethel Lane was born in 1868 and their third child, a son Percy Lane were being looked after by the Miller family in 1871

1881 finds John and Emma living at 54 Queensborough Terrace in Kensington, London with their daughter Millicent.  John's occupation at the time is listed as a share dealer and stock exchange.  Percy Lane is a boarding pupil at Eton College.  Ethel Lane is a boarding pupil at 26 Wilbury Road, Hove, Brighton.

In 1891 John L is living at 14 Somerset Street with is daughters Ethel and Millicent, while Emma is in Hove, Brighton visiting her mother Charlotte.  I am unable to locate Percy on the 1891 Census.

In 1892 Percy Lane married Ethel Evelyn Baker

On 22nd June 1895 Ethel Land Hawkins married Arthur William Clark.  Both John Lane and Emma Margaret are vitnesses to the marriage.

In 1897 Millicent Lane Hawkins passes away.

Now here's where things get interesting.

In 1901 Emma is living on her own in her Kensington home with her parlour maid, she is listed as married.  However on the same Census John Lane is living in Westminter with a lady called Christine who is listed as his wife.  Living with them is their son John Noel who was born in 1892.

In 1901 Ethel and her husband Arthur are living at Pine View in Parkstone, Dorset with their children Brian Lane born in 1896, Ione Lane born in 1897 and Nancy lane born in 1900. Nancy Lane Clark passes away in 1908 aged 7 years

In 1901 Percy and his wife Ethel are living in Kensal Green in London with their children Iris born in 1894 and Vivian born in 1897.  Percy Lane passes away in 1908 aged 41 years

In 1911 John Lane can again be found living with Christine who is listed as his wife of 30 years in Jersey.  Where as Emma Margaret can be found still listed as married living in Boyn Hill Avenue, Maidenhead with her only surviving child Ethel Lane Clark and her grandchildren Ione Lane Clark and Molly Lane Clark born in 1909.  I have been unable to locate Ethel's husband Arthur William Clark on the 1911 Census.

John and Christine had three children together, including John Noel.  Dorothy Christine Hawkins born 8th October 1882 and Barbara Mary Hawkins born in 1889

Sadly Emma Margaret was to pass away on 10th November 1914.

Not long after Emma's death, John Lane finally married Christine, who gave her last name as Hawkins at the time of their marriage in the December of 1914

In 1828 Ethel's daughter and Emma's grand-daughter Molly Lane clark married Sydney A Cuthbert in Kensington London.  Molly and Sydney have a daughter together in 1934, Susan Molly Cuthbert, who was to sadly pass away at the age of 7.  Her tiny marker can be seen in the forground of the above picture.

Arthur William Clark passes away on 4th April 1934, leaving Ethel Lane a widow.  In 1953 Ethel follows Arthur to the grave.

In 1924 Ione Lane Clark married George F Playfair Watkins.  Ione passed away in 1971


I do wonder is Emma had any idea that John was leading a double life with another woman and another family.  What did his children with Emma think when he married Christine less than a month after their mother died?  These are questions we shall never know the answers to.