George Herbert Lawrence died 13th December 1940 Sheffield
In June 2011 a descendent of George Lawrence contacted me with details of a letter he had in his possession. The letter was not in very good condition but the person transcribed it and gave me permission to place the contents of the letter onto the site. It is a fascinating document and I am very grateful to the descendent for his endeavours in producing this account.
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George Herbert Lawrence
Born 5-10-1888
Killed 12/13-12-1940
1981 I was approached by the Imperial War Museum (Miss Rose Coombes) to find a
photo of George Lawrence of Sheffield, it was to go in the museum in Bapaume
crèche which was a crèche paid for by George Lawrence and Bapaume being the
adopted town of Sheffield, due to the Sheffield servicemen living there in the
1914/18 war. The adoption was 1920.
He had two sisters, Beatrice and Jane, his father, John Francis and mother
separated, the three children were brought up by their mother’s sister, Miss Ada
Fretwell in Eyre Street, Sheffield attending St. Paul's Church School.
George told THE STAR newspaper as a boy, then hired a grinding wheel in the
evenings which he kept in the old children’s hospital, also selling razor
blades.
He moved his grinding wheel to be housed in the razor blade factory in NURSERY
ST. Then he bought the factory, inviting Lawrel & Hardy to Sheffield for the
launching at a razor blade named LAWREL with a Lawrel leaf emblem, then he made
razors, the first being gold plated.
He married Elsie Whitham and lived in SOUTHGROVE RD. Sheffield, later they moved
to “BELMONT” in HATHERSAGE.
He was an amateur referee, director of Sheffield United. (Bottom of page
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Longley Park swimming pool, Hathersage swimming pool, bowling green and playing
fields, gave money towards Hathersage Methodist church and meeting room.
1938 he offered to pay for a new hospital in the Hope Valley, Sheffield Hospital
Council turned it down.
He would hire a train and take his staff and their families to Blackpool, in
Sheffield often to parties at (? Hart )Hotel Grand.
1939 he organised a trip to Bapaume when he was to pay for a creche which he
insisted be called Wardley Creche,who was alderman W.F Wardley J.P. Also on the
trip was W.G Turner O.B.E, J.W.H Smith, the Rev E.N Ozane, 120 people and
representing children Jean Revill aged 11 yrs, George being her uncle, and John
C Rickett aged 11 yrs. They left Sheffield by train with the lord mayor W.J
Hunter J.P and Lady Mayoress Miss Hunter, leaving July 7th to return July 12th.
On the way they called at Ypres where an English school was being opened at the
rear of S Georges church, George paid for the book cabinets and the committee on
returning sent 100 books.
Bapaume made a great festive day for these 120 also giving a top quality vase
for Sheffield Town Hall. The party gave Bapaume 4 sets of silver scissors (these
were taken by the Germans in the 39-44 war). George gave each child (450) a case
with a knife, fork and spoon inside, with the crest of Sheffield and Bapaume.
Opening day 9th July 1939 a joiner had been sent in advance with (Bottom of page
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on top silver soldiers and lion, inside silk lining with 3 books about
Sheffield, plus a memorial book hand written by a member of Sheffield Telegraph
bearing name and details of 4898 Sheffield pals buried in two cemetaries Serre
number 1 and number 2, in Luke Copse a memorial park was added from money raised
in 1927 by alderman Wardley, 978 pounds was handed to the war graves commision,
it was gate money from a football match between Seffield Wednesday and
Huddersfield. The mayor of Bapaume was French, he held the British Military
Medal. The newspaper reporter with the party was Mr G.G Tomblin, another senior
member with the party was Mr Lloyd. The company secretary for George was Mr
Allen, the company solicitor was Mr Mitchell. A special medal was struck for
each person on the trip. one being given to the mayor of Bapaume Monsieur Abel
Ghidet, his secretary Monsieur DU Vaux. They returned to Blankenberge in Belgium
for 2 days before returning by boat, a few members paid a goodwill visit to
Ghent, again doing some good deeds, later George recieved from the Belgium King
2 medallions, one silver one gold each 2 3/4" in diameter with King Albert on
horseback in military uniform dated 1875-1934.
He made razor blades for the Fellowship of the Services
The Lawrence's had been at a wedding of Percy and Marjorie Annie Johnson who
lived at 10 Booking Lane, Sheffield who become close friends.
1st blades gold plated
Along came the 39-44 war, immediately George sent one million razor blades for
the French forces. 1940 he sent 1/2 million francs to give comfort to 1914/18 ex
servicemen, followed (Bottom of page unreadable/missing)
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from the French ambassador in London, some were from French president or foreign
minister Monsieur Daladier. They soon found madam Marie Thulueis who had worked
wit Edith Cavell in Brussels, her maiden name was Marie Depage, she adopted
English name Nurse Wilkins. She reported to the French government the name of
the Frenchman who had betrayed Edith Cavell (Mosieur Quinn which lead to Edith's
execution, she was also condemned to be shot but reprieved along with the others
at the last minute. She went to Bapaume with this money and bought 12 good
quality houses to be the same as Edith Cavell.
By the time news had arrived in Bapaume that Sheffield had its first air raid on
the night of December 12th 1940, Elsie Georges wife made food and drinks for the
staff which George took to the factory, they had no children, Elsie remained at
home, during that night a bomb fell and killed George and the staff, so much
damage the factory closed for good. George was aged 52 years and buried in
Hathersage Church yard.
Georges favourite sister Beatrice had a daughter Olga aged maybe 10 yrs she went
to live with Elsie for a while at Belmont.
During the war Mrs Johnson died.
Towards the end of the war Mr Percy Johnson asked Elsie if she would marry him.
He was given a short quick reply, (Bottom of page unreadable/missing)
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of Sheffield as a Lawrence and I'm going to give back to Sheffield as a
Lawrence".
Elsie was a hefty big made woman and liked her gin.
The day after Percy proposed and was turned down he went into town and changed
his name from Johnson to Lawrence although this took a little time to finalise.
"So Elsie you can now marry me I am a Lawrence". They got married June 1944 and
lived at Belmont.
Elsie died 11th December 1946 and was buried along with George, at the funeral
there were 2 lots of solicitors throwing daggers at each other, each believing
different stories, one Elsie's the other Percy's. When the will was read it said
"all assets and money had to be put in a trust with interest each year to go to
children or aged at discretion of named accounts and solicitors by Elsie"
Perpetual.
George's medals, photo's, letters from the French government and embassy, trip
medallion and tour itinery etc are in the hands of Olga his niece who at 10 yrs
kept Elsie company when George died.
Mr Gent has his fathers medallion he was a councillor, Jean Revill who was on
the trip has her medallion.
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sitting room window had some initials engraved in the corner as if they had been
done by a diamond the owners often finding booze bottles as they dug the garden.
I also visited the trustees ot the Elsie Lawrence trust fund.
During 3 or 4 visits to Bapaume I found 2 people holding the knife and fork and
spoon set, th son of the mayor in office whose father was in office when the
creche was opened, also the same secretary for both mayors Monsieur DuVaux then
84 yrs old. Pride of place in the mayors parlour facing the mayor is the casket
with the sheffield books and the scrole book of the 4898 Sheffield pals.
The creche being closed 1979 and under the name of Lawrence from the death of
alderman Wardley was being used as a day room for old people, upstairs the
school had made it a museumof things made by the children,history, geography
etc. Leaving one room clear for Sheffield and Lawrence memorabilia, opening day
15th November 1981.
It was for this room they wanted photo's of George Lawrence, having a large one
of Elsie
The mayor explained all to me plus the opening date of the upstairs museum, also
to pass on an invite to Sheffield mayor when I return to Sheffield. Before
leaving I asked Mayer what become of the (Bottom of page unreadable/missing)
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Sheffield Town Hall asking what should become of them, and got the reply, "not
interested" so he sold them.
When Louise Thuliez died she was the most decorated woman ever in France.
Councillor Henry Kirk was on the trip, Mr G.G Tomblin the reporter was with
Telegraph and Independent, Mr E Beasly was trip secretary.
The French photographer from Bapaume was Monsieur Soullard, he collected all the
money for photo's promising to send them on when the 39/44 war began he went
south, no photo's were sent, his son has the business now but finds no photo's
or negatives.
When I phoned Sheffield Town Hall requesting to pass the message from Bapaume
mayor to Sheffield mayor Enid Hattersley a lady said to me "if its military we
are not interested". I phoned later on and was told "the mayor is busy with a
Russian party here for a visit". I later visited Sheffield and was told "the
mayor is busy getting ready to go to America".
A hotel in Bapaume was named Sheffield Hotel, it is now a grain warehouse.
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Georges niece Olga is now:
Mrs Olga M Bray, 22 High Trees Dore, Sheffield S17 3GF
she has his medals, papers and all history.
Councillor Gent who was on the trip, his medallion is with his son H.G Gent, 5
Hoober Ave, Sheffield S11 9SG
Jean Revill wha was the 11 yr old girl on the trip is now:
Mrs J Bamfield, 167 Prospect Rd, Titley Rise, Sheffield
Mrs Violet Taylor, 48 Whirlowdale RD, Sheffield SY 2NH, sent me a packet of
"Laurel" razor blades
Elsie Lawrence Trust: Administrated by: Wells Richardson & Co, 28/36 Carver St,
Sheffield S1 4FS
Edith Cavell was born Swardaston, 6 miles from Norwich, she was shot by The
Germans in Brussels in 1915, Tied to a boat in a barracks indoor shooting range
which I visited in 1947. After the war she was brought back to Norwich and
buried, she has a grave set aside at the east end of Norwich Cathedral, well
attended, on the wall ia a citation and a medalion in bronze showing her head,
also that of Marie Depage the French girl who worked with her, she adopted the
English name Nurse Williams, when she died in France she had the most medals a
woman had
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Handwritten by; Unknown
Handed to my mother by her uncle ; Dennis Shepherd
Typed and rewritten by; Paul White
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This page was last updated on 23/08/11 11:35