Silas Hawkins is a wine-seller who buys product from Jared Fraser.
Personal History[]
Silas is the brother of a baronet, and uncle to Mary Hawkins. An English émigré, he specializes in the export of French brandies to England.
Events of the Novels[]
Dragonfly in Amber[]
In 1744, Silas goes to Calais to meet his niece Mary Hawkins and bring her to Paris.
The Duke of Sandringham brings Silas along as an extra uninvited guest to the infamous dinner party that Jamie and Claire host on the night that Silas's niece Mary has been raped and is sedated upstairs.
Mary wakes in a drugged stupor and hallucinates that she is being raped. She runs screaming out onto the upper landing with her bruises showing clearly through her torn nighshift and with Alexander Randall running after her trying to restrain her. Mary's screams disrupt the dinner party and to them it looks like Alex is trying to rape Mary.
Jamie is forced to punch Alex out to stop the situation turning into a complete melee. Silas is outraged at what has happened to his niece and accuses Jamie of kidnapping and pandering. Mary is taken back to Silas's home.
Personality[]
Despite his rosy countenance and jovial nature, Silas has a shrewd mind for business. He does not partake in his wares, though he is well-known for his appetite for food.
Physical Appearance[]
Silas is described to be a stout man with permanently flushed cheeks, a round rosy face and a jolly smile. He has bright brown eyes with an expression of alert calculation.[1]
Name[]
- Silas is probably a short form of Silvanus, a Roman name derived from Latin silva "wood, forest".[2][3]
- Hawkins comes from the Old English personal name Hafoc, which continued to be in use until the 13th century. The surname Hawkins was originally derived from the form Havec and the addition of the diminutive suffix -in, which forms Havek-in. It was first found in Kent at Hawkinge or Hackynge, a parish in the union of Elham, hundred of Folkestone which dates back to at least 1204 when it was listed as Hauekinge and literally meant "place frequented by hawks" or "place of a man called Hafoc."[4]
Trivia[]
TV Series[]
Siôn Tudor Owen portrays Silas Hawkins on the Outlander television adaptation
Appearances[]
References[]
- ↑ Dragonfly in Amber, chapter 8
- ↑ Behind the Name: Silas – accessed 22 April 2016.
- ↑ Behind the Name: Silvanus – accessed 22 April 2016.
- ↑ House of Names: Hawkins – accessed 22 April 2016.