AustLit

H. Morgan Hawkes worked for the Bank of Adelaide for some years before becoming Manager of the South Australian Land, Mortgage and Agency Company. He was a Standing Committee member of the Church of England and was on the Church Office Financial Board.

He contributed for many years to South Australian newspapers and periodicals. He was a constant contributor to the 'Echoes from the Bush' column of The Register and was known for his caustic verses appearing under the title 'Lunatic Lyrics'. His selection of verse, Lays and Lyrics, includes work written in the persona of 'Geoffry Crabthorn' and 'Pleeceman X' (see also John Howard Clark) and 'Jeremiah Sloper', and his obituary for John Howard Clark was published anonymously in The Register under the title 'From the Crabthorn Club Papers'. As 'Heron Shaw' he wrote short stories for the Christmas numbers of The Observer. He was a contributor to the Adelaide Miscellany and The Knightsbridge Papers.

His verse consisted largely of humorous, ballad-style comment on contemporary social events and personalities, and later, fiercely nationalistic work inspired by the Boer War.