Samuel Richmond Lawrence

Samuel Richmond was the son of Samuel Richmond Lawrence and his first wife Maria Eliza (née Jones). Samuel snr. was born in Knipton, Leicestershire, in 1885 and his wife Maria in Ilford, Essex, in about 1852. They were married at Nottingham St Nicholas in June 1875 and had ten children, three of whom died before 1911. Nine children have been identified from census records and birth registrations; all were born in Nottingham: Mary A birth registered 1876 (J/F/M), Alice Emma b. 1877, Jane Sophia b. 1879 d. 1906, Samuel Richmond b. 8 September 1881 bap. St Nicholas 9 July 1882, Walter Henry b. 1886, James William b. 1883 d. 1885, Gertrude b. 1888, Minnie Louise b. 1890 and Arthur b. 1895. Two of Samuel's older sisters, Alice and Jane, were also baptised at St Nicholas although with the exception of James, who was not baptised, his younger siblings were baptised at Nottingham St Paul. Samuel snr. a carman for the Midland Railway, his wife Maria and their three daughters Mary, Alice and Jane, were living at Booth's Place, Rutland Street, Nottingham, in 1881. However, by 1891 the couple had moved to 24 Coal Pit Lane, Nottingham, where they lived with their seven children, Mary a lace hand, Alice a cigar maker and Jane, Samuel, Walter, Gertrude and Minnie. Samuel snr. was now working as a grocer's porter while his wife was a shopkeeper. Their youngest son, Arthur, was born four years later. The 1901 Census recorded Samuel, a general carter, and Maria at 8 Upper Eldon Street, Sneinton. Only six of their eight surviving children were in the home on the night of the census: Alice whose occupation was given as domestic work (at home), Jane a lace pattern girl, Walter a Midland Railway messenger, and Gertrude, Minnie, Arthur who were school age. Samuel had joined the Royal Navy in July 1899. The eldest daughter, Mary, has not yet been traced after 1891. Maria Eliza died later that year (reg. A/M/J) and her daughter Jane Sophia died on 1 May 1906 aged 26; she was buried in Nottingham General Cemetery. Samuel snr. married secondly Alice Georgiana Keys in 1906 and they had two children, one of whom, Muriel (b. 1908) survived. In 1911 Samuel, a horsekeeper to a grocer, his wife and their daughter Muriel were living on Colwick Road, Nottingham along with three of Samuel's children by his first marriage: Alice a dressmaker on her own account (at home), Minnie was also a dressmaker but employed, and Arthur a grocer's shop lad. Mary and Gertrude have not yet been traced on the census but Samuel, who had left the Royal Navy in 1906 was working as a porter (draper's) and living in a lodging house on Red Lion Street, Nottingham. Their brother Walter Henry had married in 1908 (Edith Tuckwood) and he and his wife were living in Carlton. Samuel's wife Alice Georgina died in January 1923 and in 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled he was living with his unmarried daughters Alice and Minnie on Hilton Road, Arnold, along with his married daughter, Muriel Duckett (m. 1930 Sydney E Duckett) whose husband, a fitter engineer, was in lodgings in Worcester. The records of three other members of the household remain closed. Samuel snr. died in March 1940; he was buried in Nottingham General Cemetery. Walter Henry also served in the war attesting on 7 October 1915, aged 29 years 9 months. He transferred to the Army Reserve the following day until mobilised on 3 October 1916. Walter was posted to the Army Service Corps (Mechanical Transport), and served in Italy from November 1917 to March 1918 and then with the BEF (not identified but possibly France) from March 1918 to April 1919. He then returned to the UK for demobilization, transferring to the Army Reserve on 3 May 1919.