The Hadwen Family of Lancashire

Robert Lawrence aged 24 Married Annie Louisa Lawrence aged 19 at the Cathedral of St Saviour's Southwark in May 1879. Robert at the time of the wedding was working as a carman. Their first child Robert was born in 1879, another boy Albert was born in December 1883 and they had several other children. The twins Leonard and Arthur were born in December 1897. Our grandmother Florence was possibly the youngest child, but he may have had a younger sister Rose (Valerie). Robert mostly worked as a Black lead packer for most of his life. Black lead was used to clean fireplaces and grates. The couple lived at a variety of addresses and the song “my old man” and not “dilly dallying on the way” comes to mind.

Mum and her sisters called their other Grandmother Annie Lawrie after a song with that title, but they did not dare to do so to her face (Uncle Sid) because Annie Lawrence was the stricter of the two Grandmothers. As George did not like her visiting she could only visit Florence and the children when he was out (Uncle Sid). Annie was unwelcome because of the following sad events. When Grandma was 9 her father left. She ran after him up the road saying 'Daddy come back' but he didn't turn round and she never saw him again (Valerie). Annie said that she was unable to cope and their children were put in the workhouse. Annie with the loss of the main wage earner probably did not have much choice. It is mystery what happened as Robert and Annie had been married for thirty years by this time. They had raised a large family together and times had been probably been hard in the past?

One family narrative is as follows; Mum also said that one set of her grand parents were well off and had servants, but drank all their money away. This might be the Lawrences and financial problems might be the reason why Robert left. Grandma Florence said that she had a Nanny when young (Valerie). Against this notion Robert worked as a black lead packer which would have paid poorly and they mostly lived in flats with a large family. How could their fortunes improve so quickly, were they left some money, rob a bank or did their son Edward who had enlisted in the army send some of his wages home? In later life years Albert seems to have lived
with and perhaps financially supported his mother Annie.

One Annie Lawrence waitress aged 50 was an inmate of the Hampstead Workhouse in 1911 (Census).

Annie Lawrence waitress aged 59 was admitted to the Hampstead Workhouse Marylebone on August 9th 1915

Annie Lawrence born 1860 was admitted to the Hampstead Workhouse Marylebone on Monday 24th April 1916.

One Annie Lawrence discharged herself from the the Northumberland Road Workhouse on September 6th 1916

She discharged herself from the Northumberland Road Workhouse on Monday April 24th 1917.

Regarding the children. In 1911, Florence Lawrence aged 12 was living at 83 Capel Road, Forest Gate. Her brother Leonard aged 15 was living at 10 – 12 Ashford Road, Woodford. They were both living in scattered homes run by the West Ham Board of Guardians, These were large houses in ordinary streets where about a dozen children of either sex were looked after by a single foster parent. The children attended local schools. Mum said that Annie Lawrence said to her that she wanted to make things up by being good to her daughter's children (Paul Facey).

Albert Edward Lawrence tried to sign up for the Boer war when under-age and lied about his age. Most enlistees did not produce a birth certificate and were able to lie about their age. Army policy was strict in not accepting under age recruits. Recruits had to be aged 17 to serve in the militia, 18 to serve in the regular army and 19 to serve oversea.

• Albert first signed up for the Royal West Surrey Regiment (militia) on September 10th 1900. He was still aged 16.

• On 1st November 1901 he tired to enlist in the regular Royal West Surrey Regiment and was discharged as under aged.

• Albert then joined the 5th battalion of the Royal Fusillers (militia) on the 21st May 1901 at the age of 17.

• Albert was still under the age of 18 when he enlisted with the Royal Berkshire regiment in September 1901 for five years as he was born in December 1883.

• Albert was discharged from the Royal Berkshire Regiment on 13/11/1905

(Regimental Website)

Three Lawrence brothers fought in WW1. Looking at Albert first, he gave his address when he enlisted on 22nd September 1915 in the 7th /3rd Lincolnshire Regiment as 22 Colne Street Plaistow and was working as a casual labourer and living with his mother Annie Lawrence. Albert fought in France and received a bomb wound in the left thigh and knee which was documented on 16/2/1916. Unfit for further military service he was transferred to work in the 409 and 477 agricultural companies in the labour Corps near Lincoln. On the 25th February 1916 there is a docket for 3 shillings and 6 pence payable to his mother Annie who was living at 15 Rutland Street, Mile End. Albert appears to have been in trouble a lot for being late on parade and drunk when off duty. He was hospitalised in Dublin in May 1916 for a supperating middle ear. Albert was demobbed in 1919.

Leonard and his brother Arthur WW1 records were probably destroyed in WW2. They are briefly mentioned in the National Roll of the Great War. Leonard Henry Lawrence joined the Bedfordshire Regiment as a signaller in may 1918. He was sent to Germany after hostilities ceased and joined the army of occupation. Until April 1920. Arthur Ernest Lawrence joined the 1/5 West Yorkshire Regiment in February 1917 and served on the Western Front seeing action at Cambrei, Arras and Valenciennes. He also served in the army of Occupation until being demobbed in 1919. Both were living at 150 Fort Road when being demobbed. Grandma Florence may have been living with her brothers at this time? One Edward Lawrence signs the marriage certificate of George Broadbent and Florence Lawrence. Given his penchant for fibbing on offical documents. I wonder if Albert Edward signed this document and passed himself off as the father of the bride. Lennie Lawrence later became a football reporter on the Star Newspaper in the 1930s. He died from a chill he caught when reporting on a match.

A Robert J Lawrence died in early 1937 in Camberwell and a Annie L Lawrence died late in 1937 in Islington.

Grandma's younger sister Rose married a man with the surname Mansfield and they had a very thriving greengrocery shop in East Ham. He used to go off to Covent Garden in the early hours of the morning every day to buy the veg. They considered themselves (according to Aunt Joan) a cut above their poorer relations and used to give them their cast offs.

Florence Broadbent (Lawrence) was admitted to the Holborn Union on 19th February 1921 and discharged on the 26th February to Hanwell Asylum. My Mum Ruby was born on the 17th January, this may have been post natal depression. According to Mum, her mother Florence was in and out of hospital with her nerves for the rest of her Life. Mum also said that as a child she missed a lot of school so that she could look after her younger sisters.

The first note was passed on information from Isabel Ruby Broadbent who was the granddaughter of Robert and Annie Louisa Lawrence and the daughter of Leonard Henry Lawrence's younger sister Florence Ada Lawrence. Because it was passed on by word of mouth, some of the information is incorrect but there will be a lot of truth in it.
For instance, Leonard Henry Lawrence was not the twin of Arthur Edwin Lawrence. They were born 2 years apart according to the records. Also Leonard Henry Lawrence definitely died in 1922. He did not live into the 1930's as stated. Also Florence was the youngest in the family. She did not have a younger sister called Rose who married someone called Mansfield but she did have an older sister called Ellen Leah Deborah Lawrence who married Herbert Reginald Mansfield. Observations from Mike Hughes

1861 census 4 Queen Street, St George the Martyr, Southwark, Surrey

John LAWRENCE Head M 35 Male Iron Turner St Saviour, Southwark, Surrey
Catherine LAWRENCE Wife M 33 Female Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
John LAWRENCE Son 13 Male Christchurch, Southwark, Surrey
Andrew LAWRENCE Son 11 Male Christchurch, Southwark, Surrey
Robert LAWRENCE Son 5 Male Christchurch, Southwark, Surrey
George LAWRENCE Son 2 Male St Saviour, Southwark, Surrey

1871 census 1a George Yard, St Saviour, Southwark, Surrey

John LAWRENCE Head M 45 Male Engine Fitter St Saviour, Surrey
Catherine LAWRENCE Wife M 43 Female London, Surrey
John LAWRENCE Son S 22 Male Labourer Christchurch, Surrey
Andrew LAWRENCE Son S 20 Male Labourer Christchurch, Surrey
Robert LAWRENCE Son 16 Male Labourer Christchurch, Surrey
George LAWRENCE Son 14 Male Christchurch, Surrey
James LAWRENCE Son 8 Male Christchurch, Surrey
Joseph LAWRENCE Son 2 Male St Saviour, Surrey

1881 census 82 Lancaster Street, St George, Southwark, Surrey

Robert LAWRENCE Head M 25 Male Lead Packer Westminster, Middlesex
Annie LAWRENCE Wife M 20 Female Southwark, Surrey
Robert Ernest LAWRENCE Son 1 Male Southwark, Surrey

1891 census Clifton Buildings, Noel Street, St George the Martyr, Southwark, Surrey

Robert LAWRENCE Head M 35 Male Lead Packer Southwark, London
Annie LAWRENCE Wife M 30 Female Westminster, London
Robert LAWRENCE Son 11 Male Scholar Southwark, London
Albert LAWRENCE Son 7 Male Scholar Walworth, London
Nellie LAWRENCE Daur 3 Female Walworth, London
Charlie LAWRENCE Son 1 Male Peckham, London

1901 census 15 Dartnell Road, Camberwell, Surrey

Robert LAWRENCE Head M 45 Male Black Lead Packer Northampton
Annie LAWRENCE Wife M 40 Female Westminster, London
Albert LAWRENCE Son S 17 Male Cork Cutter Walworth, London
Ellen LAWRENCE Daur S 13 Female Dressmaker Walworth, London
Maud LAWRENCE Daur S 9 Female Bermondsey, London
Leonard LAWRENCE Son S 5 Male Kennington, London
Arthur LAWRENCE Son S 3 Male Kennington, London
Florrie LAWRENCE Son S 1 Female Kennington, London
Matilda HODSON Visitor M 33 Female Pickle Factory Hand Camberwell, London
Walter HODSON Visitor M 38 Male Dock Labourer Camberwell, London