Born in London.Studied at the Dulwich College in 1906-10 and then at Camberwell School of Art. In 1914 enlisted in the Queen's Westminster Guards. Suffered serious injuries in 1916. In 1919-22 studied at the Westminster School of Art, where he took additional etching class with Sir Frank Short. In 1923 held his first solo exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts. Worked and lived in St.Tropez in France in 1923-25, in Malta in 1927-30 (he adopted 'Raokin' as his art-name). Hawkins settled in Australia in 1935. Between 1941 and 1972 (when he ceased to paint) he exhibited widely, especially with the Contemporary Art Society of Australia (State president 1952, 1954-63) and the Sydney Printmakers.
Solo exhibitions were held at the Macquarie Galleries and elsewhere in 1946-68. In 1953 he was awarded Queen Elizabeth II's coronation medal. His work is represented in many public collections around Australia.