Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

HAROLD LAWSON

AND

CAROLINE FLORENCE GORDON

By Shirley Sharpham 

Born in the town of Cannock in Staffordshire, England on 2nd of April 1887, Harold was the second child of AlfredLawson and his wife, Mary Maria Stokes. His brother Garland was a year older.

Three years later, a sister, Nellie, was born and within a month the three children were motherless when Mary Maria died from asphyxia three weeks after her confinement.

Alfred's sister, Fanny, evidendly joined the family to look after her niece and nephews as she is shown in the 1881 Cencus as a member of the family household. The 1881 census also shows that Alfred lived next door to his parents, James and Fanny Lawson in Union Street, Bridgetown, so he would have had family support at this time. 

Alfred and Mary Maria were married in an independent chapelin nearby Brewood on 28 March 1885.

Grandpa only mentioned his life in the U.K. on three occasions that i can remember. On hearing a singer in a TV Talent Quest Singing the Cobblers song from Chu Chin Chow, he remarked that he had seen the show in London during the war. I didnt think to question him any further about the experience and what it was like to return home for a brief period and to spend time with family and friends.

Of couse I knew that he had served in the AIF during the World War 1, the large framed photograph which all servicemen seemed to have, hung above my in the family home in Ivanhoe where i spent the first 7 years of my life.

We never thought to ask him about his life as a young Boy Cannock. Perhaps he would have told us about his school days and other activities as a young lad.

Alfred Lawson remarried in 1892, and his new wife, Elizabeth, must have brought some stability to the children and allowed Fanny to resume her life.

When Harold left school he became a Baker. This meant that he worked during the night and needed to sleep during the day. Apparently Elizabeth was very house proud, and would not allow Harold to sleep in the house during the daytime, he had to sleep on a bench in a local park. Was that the only reason for leaving his homeland?

He always appeared to be the kind of person who did not make rash decisions, thinking things through very carefully.

He decided to leave the UK and find a new life in Australia.

Leaving England shortly after the marriage of his brother, Garland, in 1908, he sailed for Brisbane, Queensland to become a Jackeroo.

I suppose he had grown up with horses, living in a country villiage at that time. it does explain why he always listened to the horse races on Saturday, although to my knowledge he never went to the course to place a bet. There would not have been enough money for that. i remember that he told me to go to the Melborne Cup to see the roses. His eldest son Harold, also had a love of the horses.