Pauline Priano has submitted the following:
Lawrence Edwards, affectionately known as Lawrie, was the youngest of 2 sons, the offspring of James Harry Edwards Snr born June 9th 1870 and Mary Annie Burn, August 28th 1869, both natives of South Shields, historically in County Durham. Mary Annie was the daughter of sea pilot John Hart Burn and Isabella Robson.
The young couple were married at Christ Church, Tynemouth, in 1893, settling at Heaton, a suburb of Newcastle upon Tyne, birthplace of James Harry Jnr in 1894 before they returned to South Shields where Lawrence was born, December 26th 1896. In 1901 they were living at 5, Linden Gardens, Harton, in the suburbs of South Shields, James Harry Edwards Snr, who hailed from a family of shipbuilders, was a ship repairer.
On the census eve of 1911 James Harry Snr was residing in the home of his cousin, shipbuilder, George S. F. Edwards and his wife Florence at their 33 room mansion at Nunthorpe, South Yorkshire. Mary Annie and Lawrence (14) were residing in the 10 room home of her mother-in-law, widow Victoria Edwards, at Tynedale View, Hexham, Northumberland. James Harry Jnr (16), who had previously attended South Shield Grammar Technical High School, was a boarder at Wisteria House, Uppingham, Rutland, in the Midlands.
When Britain declared a state of war existed with Germany, August 4th 1914, there was a rush of volunteers from all walks of life in answer to Kitchener’s call to arms. James Harry Edwards enlisted at Newcastle upon Tyne and was assigned to the newly formed 14th Battalion Durham Light Infantry, Lawrence was still too young to enlist. When he became eligible to serve he was assigned to the 2nd/7th Battalion Royal Northumberland Fusiliers.
The Battalion had been formed, September 26th 1914, at Alnwick and moved to Swalwell Camp near Newcastle upon Tyne in January 1915, joining the 188th Brigade, 63rd Division. November 1915 the brigade moved to York and in 1917 departed for the Sudan as a garrison battalion. Lawrence Edwards served in the Sudan, Palestine and Syria with the 2nd/7th Battalion R.N.F., he was offered a commission and rose through the ranks to Captain.
His elder brother Lieutenant James Harry Edwards was killed January 7th 1917 by a sniper’s bullet whilst serving with the 14th Durham Light Infantry in France.
Lawrence was married in 1921 to Dorothy (Dollie) Catchside, who was the daughter of ship owner and coal exporter, Thomas Henry Cobden Catchside and Sarah Jane Porter, natives of Newcastle upon Tyne. Lawrence continued the family tradition of ship repairing and building and was a Director of The Middle Docks & Engineering Company Limited.
Post war he was the commanding officer of the Cadet Force,1st Cadet Battalion Durham Light Infantry who held an annual training camp and visit to the battlefields of Belgium. June 9th 1926 they took a special train from South Shields to Grimsby where they embarked for the continent aboard the S.S. Marylebone. Conferred the award of Cadet Forces Medal 1st Class, February 23rd 1951.
He held several important offices both during the war and in peacetime, member of both the Ingham Infirmary Committee and the South Shields Unemployed Recreational Scheme Committees, a passionate rugby player, as was his late brother, Sir Lawrence was an old member of the Rockcliffe Rugby Football Club and played for Northumberland between 1919 and 1922.
James Harry Edwards Snr died in 1945, he had been President of the Shipbuilding Employers’ Federation 20 years earlier, Sir Lawrence was elected to the same position in 1948. His mother Mary Ann Edwards nee Burn died in 1946, registered at Newcastle upon Tyne.
Sir Lawrence Edwards died November 14th 1968, his widow Lady Dorothy in 1994, both registered at Newcastle upon Tyne.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
