In 1974 Roy Hawkins took his first instruction from Thomas Howell Selfe for a restaurant fire in Stilton, Cambridgeshire. Six years later, in October 1980 he founded RB Hawkins & Associates with Jack Miller. From then on the Company grew steadily until in 2000, Roy and Jack sold it to the then Board of Directors and the initials RB were dropped from the Company name. Today, Hawkins & Associates has six offices, 30 investigators and as well as fires and explosions, offers expertise in a wide range of technical fields, particularly engineering and RTA investigation.

The staff celebrated in 2005 at their annual Company meeting at which John Horsfall (the Company's first employee and now Chairman) cast his mind back over 25 years of Hawkins, recalling the amazing technical advances over that time and also some of the highs and lows. For example:

Highest case (excluding aircraft) - Water leak on the roof at HSBC Tower, Docklands.

Lowest case - The Storebaelt Tunnel.

Smelliest case - A dung-fuelled power station.

Vaguest case - Why did the handle fall off a teapot? Teapot destroyed, no photos, type of teapot unknown.

Case with largest number of photographs - A five star London hotel. 36, 500 photos.

Most revolting case - Power failure at a maggot farm.

Case with the highest news media profile - The Soham Murders.

Shortest time between receiving instructions and giving evidence - The weekend.

Stupidest cause - Using a blowtorch to unblock a petrol supply pipe.

Longest uninterrupted time in the witness box - 3 days.

Most bizarre area of expertise - Forensic dog sledge driving.

Most seats of fire at a single incident - 51.