As he lay gravely injured in a flooded shell hole
Hawkins thought he saw a servant girl
Sweeping a small room
She was damping down the dust with Holy Water
He knew that his soul was being cleansed
And that he would survive the war
Many years later Hawkins although an invalid
Started production of the Torquay plates
In the pottery that he owned
When asked why he noted that it was the town of his birth
And that he wanted his fellow men
To share in his luck and prosperity
The design of the plates was quite simple
With the illustrations depicting sailing ships in the harbour
And warehouses and other houses nearby
Near the centre of the view was a pale house
That stood out from the rest
When questioned about it Hawkins always replied
That this was the house of the servant girl
And it had been his gift to her
For saving his life