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Australia

PERCY REDVERS LAWSON 1900-1988 ‘Elrington Park’

Percy the 4th son of Robert Herd Lawson, and was born on 25th February 1900 at Warracknabeal, which is also a short distance from Kalkee. In 1988, while residing at Horsham, Percy died, aged approx. 88 years old, and is buried in Horsham Cemetery.

In 1926, Percy married Rodda Robertson, and had the following children:
• Miss Joyce Rhoda Lawson - Born: 1927 (approx.)
• Miss Annette Lawson - Born: 1928/9 (approx.)
• Mr Robert Redvers Lawson - Born 1930. Farmer at Terang, and served as a
National Serviceman (Tank Corps?)
• Mr Max Lawson - Born: 1932 (approx.)
• Mr Kevin Lawson - Born: 1935 (approx.)

As a natural course of events, Percy like his father (Robert), grandfather (Andrew), and great-grandfather (Alexander) went on to become a farmer. However, as will shortly be discussed in more detail, the weight of family traditions (and thus expectations) can at times be overwhelming.

It is apparent that in his earlier years Percy was a keen sportsman, and was heavily involved with the Kalkee Football Club, as can be shown by the below newspaper notice, and organization strongly supported by the Kalkee Lawson family.

Horsham Times, 8th April 1921

Kalkee Football Club
A MEETING of the Kalkee football Club will be held at “Elderslie” on SATURDAY NIGHT. A full attendance of members is requested………PERCY LAWSON, Secretary

Established in 1902, today the Kalkee Football Club competes in the Horsham District Football League. Kalkee (originally known as the Red and Blues) commenced in the HDFL in 1945, and became the first club to claim a hat trick of premierships.

Apart from knowing that Percy grew up on his father’s farm called ‘Elrington Park’ (Kalkee), and at some point between 1925 and 1947 the Percy came into possession of Elrington, little other detail is known about Percy’s early life, other than newspaper articles that indicate that he had a large circle of friends, was socially active, a well respected Kalkee resdident, and was a diligent & caring parent.

This can be demonstrated by the below extract of a news article from the 17th September 1948 edition of the Horsham Times, which gives an account of the “Coming of Age” (18 years old) function that Percy held for his eldest son, Robert (Bob) Lawson.

MR. R. LAWSON ATTAINS MAJORITY
To celebrate the coming of age of their son, Robert, Mr. and Mrs. P. Lawson of Kalkee entertained a large number of friends at the Town Hall Supper Room last Friday. Guests from Geelong, Warracknabeal, and surrounding districts spent the evening in dancing, interspersed with items by Miss Joyce Lawson and Messrs. Bill and John Newman, of Geelong.
Mr. Maurice Thistlewaite acted as M.C., and after the delightful supper, with Mr. E. J. Newman as chairman, the usual toasts were honoured, and the gifts were presented to Bob by Mr. W. Wollermann. Messrs. W. Ingleton, Snr., W. Pressy and Ron Kay spoke of the popularity and esteem of the guest of honour and congratulated him on attaining his majority, to which Bob suitably responded.
The candles on the cake were lit by Bob and blown out by Annette Lawson. Dancing continued until 2 a.m., when the singing of Auld Lang Syne brought the evening to a close.

WW2 Service - Volunteer Defence Corp
The next record that could be found in relation to Percy, is that on 25th February 1942, shortly following the entry of Japan into the WW2 conflict, and the threat to Australia, Percy enlisted into the 14th Battalion of the Volunteer Defence Corps.

Percy’s enlistment medical form, he is described as being 6’ (182cm) tall, weighing 154Lbs (70Kg), with a dark complexion, black hair, light green eyes, and with some sort of mark on his left leg.
The Volunteer Defence Corps (VDC) was an Australian part-time volunteer military force of World War II modelled on the British Home Guard. The VDC was established in July 1940 by the Returned and Services League of Australia (RSL) and was initially composed of ex-servicemen who had served in World War I.
The government took over control of the VDC in May 1941, and gave the organisation the role of training for guerrilla warfare, collecting local intelligence and providing static defence of each unit's home area. General Harry Chauvel, of WW1 Australian Light Horse fame, who had retired in 1930, was recalled to duty in 1940 and appointed Inspector-General of the VDC, Chauvel held this position until his death in March 1945.
Following the outbreak of the Pacific War, the Government expanded the VDC in February 1942. Membership was open to men aged between 18 and 60, including those working in reserved occupations. As a result, there were, by 1944, nearly 100,000 men in the VDC, organized into 111 battalions consisting of about 1,500 full-time personnel, over 30,000 part-time active members and over 43,000 part-time reserve members of the Volunteer Defence Corps.
Below is an interesting article about the VDC which appeared in 19th February 1943 edition of the Horsham Times, as it gives insight into the type of training & activities that Percy would have been involved.
Horsham Times, 19th February 1943
VOLUNTEER :DEFENCE CORPS NOW PART OF ARMY
The VDC are now being trained on a pattern exactly resembling that of the A.M.F (sic: Australian Military Forces) and of other members of the Australian Army. The Minister for the Army' (Mr Forde) said on Wednesday. This meant orthodox- training to produce the highest possible efficiency. The V.D.C. would not be a roving guerrilla a force, but confined to defence of areas in which its members lived and worked. Eighty per cent of the corps said Mr. Forde, were men in reserve occupations, of whom the great proportion wore young. This contrasted with the original membership, which comprised chiefly returned soldiers of middle age, or up to 60. It was hoped the Army would soon be able to issue .303 rifles to the corps, Bren; Vickers and Lewis machine-guns and tommy-guns would be increased as soon as possible.
As the perceived threat to Australia declined the VDC's role changed from static defence to operating anti-aircraft artillery, coastal artillery and searchlights. Members of inland VDC units were freed from having to attend regular training in May 1944 and the VDC was officially disbanded on 24 August 1945.
Being a farmer, Percy was likely considered to be in a ‘reserve occupation’, however from February 1942, was able to join the VDC, and on a part-time basis (as still had to run his farm), would have been involved with VDC guard duties in the Horsham region.
VDC men being trained to use a machine gun, 1943

Horsham Times Tuesday 20 November 1945
VOLUNTEER DEFENCE CORPS DISBANDING - Horsham Members hold Wind-Up Dinner
Horsham members of the 14th Battalion of the Volunteer Defence Corps, which is disbanding, held a wind-up dinner at Perring's Cafe on Saturday evening. The Office Commanding ‘A’ Company (Captain W. H. Weight) presided over an excellent attendance, which included the Commanding Officer of the 14th Battalion of the V.D.C. (Lieut-Col. A . E Kimberley) and wives of members.

The silent toast, in memory of fallen comrades, was proposed by the battalion adjutant, Captain H.R. Putland. In proposing the loyal toast, Captain B.H. Perry said that the Volunteer Defence Corps had been proud to be loyal to the Crown and the constitution, and any new order which failed in this respect would be making a grave mistake. The British Empire was very favoured that His Majesty reigned over is as the constitutional head. The toast was drunk with musical honours.

In proposing the toast of the ladies. Lieut. A. McAuley said that Lieut.-General Witham, Corps Commander of the VDC had recently issued a circular in which he expressed his thanks to all members who had served under him, and especially their womenfolk, who had done much in helping them to carry on their activities as members of the VDC.

During the crisis of the war-years the women of the British Empire had played a wonderful part
In the fight against the common enemy, and had performed jobs that hitherto were unknown to them. The toast was enthusiastically honoured, and the women guests were given a special round of applause when they stood up at the request of the chairman.

Lieut.-Co1. A. E. Kimberley, Commanding Officer of the Battalion, expressed his pleasure at being present and hoped it would be the forerunner of similar functions. The task of the V.D.C. has been completed, and he as commanding officer of the 14th battalion very much appreciated the cooperation and loyal support extended to him by the full-time duty staff, also all part-time members who had travelled considerably on VDC work at their own expense. The battalion adjutant (Captain Putland) had rendered wonderful service, and made his own task much easier. He considered the work performed by him and his staff was responsible for much of the success achieved by the battalion. There had been a wonderful spirit of comradeship among the members and he had no doubt this would continue after their discharge.
Lieut. Col. Kimberley appealed to members to do what they could to assist returning Horsham service personnel. The VDC would not be found wanting if its services were again required for the defence of Australia. He wished all members their full share of happiness in the future.
Captain Weight expressed his thanks for their ready and efficient help he had always received as O.C. of A. Company.

Lieut. C. Jones, platoon commander said that his duties were lightened considerably through the assistance of Lieuit. R.A. Matthlews, Platoon Sergt. H. Lane. Lance-Corporal F. Nattrass, CpIs. F. Hammond, R. Timmins, T. Carter. W. J. Thornley, and Pte. Lionel Tully.

Lieut. Matthews expressed thanks for the assistance and co-operation he had received at all times from the commanding officer and Captain Putland and his staff.

The arrangements for the reunion were capably, carried out by. Mr. C. E. Selkirk, who was accorded it hearty vote of thanks at the instance of Captain Weight.

Shortly following the Allied victory over Japan (August 1945) on 21st Sep 1945, service number V359757 Private Percy Lawson, of ‘A’ Company, 14th Battalion VDC, was honourably discharged.

Given that Percy’s time with the VDC included no full-time service, he would have been entitled to just one WW2 service medal, this being the 1939-45 Australian Service Medal.

Percy’s Attempted Murder Trial
In 1950 Percy was charged and went on trial for the attempted murder of his mother-in-law. The jury found that Percy was not guilty, on the grounds of insanity.

Whilst it is impossible to truly know the ‘working’ of someone mind, testimony at the trial be Percy’s family members makes it apparent that a major factor influencing Percy’s “temporary derangement” was the loss of ‘Elrington Park’.

Given that his Father, Grandfather and Great-Grandfather were considered highly regarded farmers in the Kalkee region, Percy would likely have felt great shame that that he had failed to uphold the family tradition of highly successful farming in the Kalkee region, and that he was now unable to pass-on ‘Elrington Park’ to one of his sons.

As shown in the newspaper account of the Gibbons Valedictory dinner at Elderslie on at Kalkee on 14th July 1911, it is clear that Kalkee farmers placed great store in all of these matters.

While some might think that the depression that Percy was experiencing was due to him holding out-dated values of an era long gone, a recent study of Australian coronial data found that the suicide rate of farmers is almost 60 per cent higher than non-farmers!

As a consequence of the verdict from Percy’s Attempted Murder trial, he was committed to the Ballarat Mental Hospital. It is not known how long Percy was kept as a patient at the BMH, however, it is known that by 1970 he had been released and was living back in the community.

Following is an extract from the 20th April 1950 edition of the Horsham Times, giving a detailed account of Percy’s trial.

Horsham Times, 20th April 1950
Acquitted On Attempted Murder - Insane Plea

A 49-year-old former Kalkee farmer was found not guilty of attempted murder and attempted suicide, on the grounds of insanity, at a sitting of the Supreme Court at Horsham on Tuesday.

He is Percy Redvers Lawson, who was committed to Ballarat Mental Hospital following the verdict of the jury that he had committed the crimes while insane.

He was further charged with having attempted to commit suicide on the same day. An alternative charge to that of attempted murder, was that wounded Mrs. Robertson with intent to do grievous bodily harm.
Lawson pleaded not guilty to each of the three charges. He was a farmer then living on a properly at Kalkee, near Horsham, with his wife, mother-in-law, and other members of the family, including his son and daughter.

Mrs. Annie Robertson, a widow at present living in Melbourne told the court that until last year she had resided at Lawson’s for 16 years.

About 8a.m on January 13 1950, she had been out to the kitchen and was returning through the dining room when Lawson grabbed her from behind the door, reached in his pocket and pulled out a razor.

She lost consciousness after he cut her throat twice and could not remember what happened after that. During her time at the Lawson’s they had been happy although there might have been a trifling argument or two but nothing serious. She had not provoked the attack by Lawson which was unexpected.

TERRIRLE CHANGE
"I noticed a terrible change in his manner for weeks previous to his attack on me. He had been continually arguing and worrying. I concluded that he had been worrying over the farm which had been sold a short time before.” Mrs. Robertson added.

She also said that Lawson did not appear to be in his right mind and would do strange things for which he did not seem responsible.

Mrs. Joyce Mills, of Horsham, Lawson’s daughter, told the court that she was talking to he mother in the bedroom when she heard her grandmother call out for her.

She ran to the dining room where she saw Mrs. Robertson on the floor with Lawson bending over her, a razor in his hand.

“We managed to pull him off and I struggled with him but he got away and went after Grannie again. I chased him and found that he had caught her and was bending over her, although I did not see a razor in his hand. We got him away from her and I don’t know where he went after that.” She said “We stayed with Grannie until the doctor came”.

Mrs. Mills added that she had seen her father cut his own throat with the razor in the dining room.

About six weeks before the attack, he had started behaving strangely. When he came in from outside work, he was very argumentative, particularly with his wife, who had to take a gun from him one morning.

HAD STRUGGLE
To further questioning, Mrs. Mills said she had a struggle with her father, who she thought, was finally stopped by loss of blood. At one stage they got a rope on him, and had it around his leg, but he got away.

Dr. Gordon Forsyth, of Horsham, saw Mrs. Robertson lying on a bed in Lawson's house at Kalkee, with blood all around her. She had a lacerated wound on her neck extending right around, and various cuts on her face and neck.

Lawson was sitting on the ground outside at the back of the house with three or four others standing around him. He had deep incised wounds in his neck that had penetrated right through and exposed the inside of his throat.

A piece of steel, which Dr. Forsyth concluded was a portion of the razor, was found in the deep recesses of the wound in Mrs. Robertson’s neck.

On January 19, Lawson had an attack and succeeded in partially re-opening the wound in his neck. He was later certified as insane and sent to the Ballarat Mental Hospital.

Robert Redvers Lawson, farmer of Terang, said that on New Year’s Day, 1950, the family was having breakfast, when his father came in and said “Goodbye all, I’m going to drown myself”.

“I followed him out and when he stripped an entered the water waist deep, I jumped in and pulled him out”. He said. His father had seemed to be worrying about financial matters.

Detective Sergeant J.E. Matthews, of Melbourne, interviewed Lawson at the Hospital on January 14. Questioned, Lawson said “I went for the old lady with a razor. I don’t know why because she has always been very good to me”. And later: “I slit my own throat. I don’t know why, we were all very happy together”. Senior Constable T.J. McNamara was handed a blood stained razor when he went to Lawson’s with Forsyth, and he found another blade in the yard.

Mr. K.C. Lucas (for Lawson) said that the evidence indicated clearly that Lawson was suffering from some defect of reasoning to make such a desperate attack with a lethal instrument on his mother-in-law. There was no evidence for the defence.

Mr. Lucas asked the jury to return a verdict of not guilty on the grounds of insanity.

Mr. Justice Martin told the jury that it had the choice of three verdicts on each count – guilty, not guilty or not guilty on the grounds of insanity.

He added that everyone is presumed in the first instance, to be sane, but a man ay have a blank mind during which time he may cut someone’s throat and not be aware that he is doing anything wrong.

The jury returned verdicts of not guilty on the grounds of insanity in each case. Lawson was committed to the Ballarat Mental Hospital.

Ballarat Asylum
Lakeside Mental Hospital, originally known as Ballarat Asylum, later as Ballarat Hospital for the Insane and finally, before its closure, as Lakeside Psychiatric Hospital, was an Australian psychiatric hospital located in the suburb of Wendouree, the north-western fringe of Ballarat, Victoria, Australia.