A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Hawkins, James

by William H. Husk

HAWKINS, James, Mus. Bac., was a chorister of St. John's College, Cambridge, and afterwards organist of Ely Cathedral from 1682 until his death in 1729. He was a voluminous composer of church music, and 17 services and 75 anthems by him are preserved (more or less complete) in MS. in the library of Ely Cathedral. Two services and 9 anthems (part of those) are also included in the Tudway collection (Harl. MSS. 7341, 7342). Hawkins transcribed and presented to the library of Ely Cathedral many volumes of cathedral music. He took his degree at Cambridge in 1719. He was a nonjuror, as appears by an autograph copy of one of his anthema in the library of the Sacred Harmonic Society (No. 1719), the words of which are applicable to party purposes, and which has a manuscript dedication 'to the Very Rev^nd Mr. Tomkinson and the rest of the Great, Good, and Just Nonjurors of St. John's College in Cambridge.'

James Hawkins, his son, was organist of Peterborough Cathedral from 1714 (when he was appointed at a salary of £20 per annum) to 1759 [App. p.670 "1750"]. He composed some church music. One of his anthems is included in the Tudway collection (Harl. MSS. 7342).

[ W. H. H. ]