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Anthony Lacey Hawkins Family Papers

An inventory of the papers at the Pan Am Flight 103/Lockerbie Air Disaster Archives at Syracuse University


Finding aid created by: Vanessa L. St.Oegger-Menn
Date: March 2015



Biography

Photograph of Anthong Lacey Hawkins

Anthony "Tony" Lacey Hawkins (1931-1988) was among the 270 victims of the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland on December 21, 1988. He was born in London, England on November 13, 1931 and came to the United States as a salesman for Revox Corporation and Beyer Dynamic. Tony established his own company, Midsummer Sound, in 1975 in order to manufacture and distribute the "Runaround," a tape recorder console and mobile editing trolley. Using his Pan Am Frequent Flyer miles, he travelled to England on December 12, 1988 to visit a sick uncle and bring home his late father's belongings. He was scheduled to return on December 20, but extended his stay to see more of his family. Tony, who was living in Brooklyn, New York at the time of his death, was survived by his wife, Helen Ruth Engelhardt, and their son, Alan Lacey Richard Hawkins.

In the years following the tragedy, Helen became active with the Victims of Pan Am Flight 103, Inc., and served in various board positions from 1991 to 1995 and as editor of the organization's newsletter, TruthQuest, from 1996 through 2001. Helen published her memoir, The Longest Night: A Personal History of Pan Am 103 as an audiobook through Midsummer Sound Company in 2009. A print edition followed in 2013. Copies of both the audio and print editions are available in this collection. Under Helen's guidance, Midsummer Sound has also released Coming Home to Us: A Trilogy of Love, Loss, & Healing with Marjorie van Halteren, and Edges: O Israel O Palestine with Leora Skolkin-Smith.


Scope and Content Note

The Anthony Lacey Hawkins Family Papers contain photographs, clippings, correspondence, audio cassettes, and other materials related to Anthony Lacey Hawkins, a victim of the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. Also included are materials related to his widow Helen Engelhardt's involvement with the Victims of Pan Am Flight 103, Inc.; her memoir, The Longest Night: A Personal History of Pan Am 103; and other documents from the years following the bombing. The collection has been divided into series for Audio materials, Clippings, Correspondence, Photographs, Subject files, and Writings.

The Audio materials series contains recordings made by both Tony Hawkins and Helen Engelhardt. Tony's recordings include descriptions of his inventions and his business, Midsummer Sound Company, as well as a presentation on Beyer Microphones. Helen's tapes include a recording from the early morning hours of December 22, 1988, after she had learned of Tony's death on Pan Am 103, and a recording of the memorial service held on the first anniversary of the tragedy. There are two transcribed excerpts from other recordings made by Tony. Additionally, the audiobook of Helen's memoir, The Longest Night: A Personal History of Pan Am 103, is in this series.

The Clippings series contains newspaper and magazine articles from the years following the bombing.

The Correspondence series consists of several folders of incoming correspondence received by Helen from various individuals and organizations. Included are letters concerning the Tony Hawkins Radio Drama Award Fund, and Helen's February 1989 appearance on the Margot Adler radio show.

The Photographs series contains one folder of photographs of Tony, Helen, and their son, Alan. Included is a portrait of Tony as a young boy, taken during the 1940s, as well as photographs from the early years of Tony and Helen's marriage, and the birth of their son.

Tony's record from the Scottish Death Register, Helen's eulogy for her late husband, information on the Memorial Cairn at Arlington National Cemetery, and various other thematically-arranged folders comprise the Subject files series.

Finally, Writings includes Tony's "Notes on a Design for a Tape Autolocator" developed by his company, Midsummer Sound; as well as the print edition of Helen's memoir, The Longest Night: A Personal History of Pan Am 103.


Alternative Formats

Selected materials from this collection have been digitized. Please contact the archivist for further information on accessing the materials.


Restrictions

Access Restrictions:

There are no access restrictions for this collection.

Use Restrictions:

Written permission must be obtained from the Pan Am Flight 103 Archives and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.


Related Material

General audiovisual and publications materials have been separated and placed in the Pan Am Flight 103 Audiovisual and the Pan Am Flight 103 Publications Collections, respectively. Materials related to the Victims of Pan Am Flight 103, Inc. have been separated and placed in the Victims of Pan Am Flight 103, Inc. Collection.

The Pan Am Flight 103 Archives contains additional materials and information related to the Anthony Lacey Hawkins Family Papers. Related collections include:

On Eagles' Wings Collection

Pan Am Flight 103 Audiovisual Collection

Pan Am Flight 103 Publications Collection

Pan Am 103 Individuals Collection

Victims of Pan Am Flight 103, Inc. Collection


Selected Search Terms

Names

Engelhardt, Helen.
Hawkins, Anthony Lacey.
Syracuse University -- History.
Syracuse University.

Associated Titles

The Longest Night: A Personal History of Pan Am 103.

Subjects

Pan Am Flight 103 Bombing Incident, 1988.
Terrorism -- Government Policy -- United States -- Case Studies.
Terrorism -- Government Policy -- United States -- History.
Terrorism -- Government Policy -- United States.
Terrorism -- History -- 20th Century.
Lockerbie (Scotland)

Types of Material

Audiocassettes.
Clippings files.
Correspondence.
Photographs.
Sound recordings.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Anthony Lacey Hawkins Family Papers,
Pan Am Flight 103/Lockerbie Air Disaster Archives
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Gift of Helen Engelhardt-Hawkins between 2005 and 2015.

Processing Information

Materials were placed in acid-free folders and boxes.


Arrangement

Materials are arranged alphabetically.


Table of Contents

Audio materials

Clippings

Correspondence

Photographs

Subject files

Writings


Inventory