Of the Lawn family who I wrote of in my book and in previous posts, regular followers of this blog may recall that there were two sets of brothers – Cornish cousins, who came to New Zealand: James, John and Henry Lawn (I am a descendant of James) and Thomas and Edmund Lawn. These cousins were ‘double’ cousins – their mothers were sisters and their fathers were brothers.
Thomas and Edmund Lawn were the sons of John Lawn (b 1813) and Ann Webster (b 1815), both from the Gwennap area in Cornwall who married in 1836. Like the rest of the Lawn family, John was a miner, and his sons after him. There were nine children in the family, but not all of them made old bones:
- Joseph Webster Lawn, b 1837, died in Melbourne, Australia in 1891,
- John Webster Lawn, b 1837, died in Dalton in Furness, Lancashire in 1906,
- Thomas Henry Lawn, b 1842, died in Reefton, New Zealand in 1902,
- Emily Lawn, b 1844, died in Ulverston, Lancashire in 1873,
- Richard Lawn, b 1847, died in Redruth, Cornwall in 1857,
- Edmund Henry Lawn, b 1850, died in Reefton, New Zealand in 1894,
- Samuel Lawn, b 1852, died in Ulverston, Lancashire in 1871,
- Alfred Lawn, b 1855, died in Ulverston, Lancashire in 1871,
- Richard Lawn, b 1857, died in Redruth in 1861,
This photograph of Lawn brothers and cousins was probably taken about 1868, and includes three of John Webster’s sons: Edmund, Alfred and Sam. It may have been taken at the time that Henry Lawn was married∗. For a long time this photograph, copies of which are in various descendants families, was labelled as ‘unknown Lawns’, until I found a named copy in Dunedin. Given two of the boys picture died just a few months apart in 1871, was this why the photograph was kept within the family? Where is the original of this photograph?
John Webster Lawn
John Webster, the second son of John and Ann, began working life in the copper mines in Lanner just like his father, uncles brothers and cousins, but by the late 1850s he had left the area for the more stable iron mining district of Dalton in Furness, Lancashire. In 1861 census, age 21, he was recorded as lodging with another Gwennap man; Iron Ore Agent William Job and his wife in St Anne Street, Dalton. A few years later in 1864 he married a local girl, Eleanor Gunson. He soon worked his way up and became mining captain in the Barrow Hematite Steel Company, working in Park mine around 1863, a position he had held for 16 years when he gave lengthy evidence during the inquest of the death of two miners killed in a collapse of ore (see: Ulverston Mirror and Furness Reflector June 21, 1879).
From 1871 John was described in census as Iron Ore Agent, the family living firstly in Ulverston Road, then by 1891 their address was given as Fair View, with John now listed as Assistant Manager at Iron Mine. John contributed to his local community; standing for local board elections, eventually becoming Chairman of Dalton District Council. He was closely involved with the local Methodist church and laid a memorial stone to commemorate the building of the Methodist Sunday school in Dalton.
John Webster and Eleanor Gunson Lawn’s family consisted of seven children, but only two daughters and a son survived childhood.
Mary, b 1866, died in 1879 aged 13. James Gunson Lawn b 1868 was the only child of John Webster and Eleanor Lawn to marry and have children. More about him later. Annie, b 1870, died aged 3 in 1873. Her sisters Ada and Emily were born in 1872 and 1874. Both girls remained single, but like their brother James Gunson, were well-educated at boarding school and became teachers. Emily Lawn was also a researcher in the record office of the British Museum and Somerset House in London. The youngest children of John Webster and Eleanor Lawn were Joseph, born in 1876, died 1877 aged 9 months and Eleanor born 1878, died 1879 aged 3 months.
“Death of a Gwennap man in Lancashire. Another of the old familiar faces at Dalton has disappeared. Among all of the people of the town none was better known none could have been more respected than Mr John Webster Lawn, of Fair View; and it was with regret that the announcement was heard on Friday, that he had passed away at seven o’clock that morning. He had been in failing health for two or three years, and as a result was compelled to relinquish the important position of mine manager under the Barrow Hematite Steel Company. Mr Lawn was born in the parish of Gwennap, Cornwall, 66 years ago, and came to the North of England 47 or 48 years ago. By his diligence and perseverance, he rose from the lowest position in the Park Mines to the highest. He was appointed mining captain in the days of the mines when they were owned by Messrs Selmeider and Hannay, and he continued his connection when they were taken over by the Barrow Hematite Company. After the retirement of the late Mr Richard Hosking, the managership of the mines was vested in Mr William Kellett, J. P., of Southport, and Mr Lawn was appointed resident manager. That position was held up to the time of Mr Kellett’s death, when he was chosen general mine manager. He held the office to January, 1904, when his health gave way, and he was given six months’ rest. His health did not improve, however, and he felt compelled to resign the position.
As a public man, Mr Lawn’s services were often sought. He was elected to the Local Board in 1885, and continued to be a member of that body and the Urban Council up to 1904 – a period of nearly 20 years. He held the post of chairman in 1889 and 1890, and was again elected to that seat in 1893, continuing till 1898. As chairman of the Urban Council, he sat a magistrate (the first working man J. P.) on the Ulverston Bench for four years. The flag at the Council offices in Station Road flew at half-mast. He was also connected with the old Burial Board, and the Gas Committee, and was an overseer. At public meetings, concerts, and the like, his services were freely and generously given. In politics he was a Liberal, but took ne active part except on the temperance question, being a strong Abstinence man. To say that he was respected by his fellow townsmen is to freely express the feelings of those who knew him best. He adorned every position he occupied, wether in public, social, or religious life, and was a very valuable person. Mr Lawn was an earnest Wesleyan Methodist, a class leader, and a local preacher for many years. He spent his leisure in preparation for his pulpit work, and for religious engagements. His services were much appreciated wherever he went and especially in the Barrow, Ulverston and Millom circuits. He knew Methodism in these parts from the earliest days, and took an active part in its rise and progress throughout the towns and villages of the district. Mr Lawn leaves a widow and three children, including Professor James G. Lawn, mining expert, of Johannesburg, South Africa.
Every shade of politics, every shade of religious belief, almost every profession and trade were represented at the funeral at the Dalton cemetery on Sunday afternoon. An addition to the chief mourners, others present were Mrs Lawn, Miss Ada E. Lawn, Miss Emily Law and Mr David Lawn. The remains were enclosed in a plain oak coffin bearing a plate with the words “John Webster Lawn, died March 2nd, 1906, aged 66 years”. Following the hearse and mourning coaches was the horse and trap which Mr Lawn had used for many years in his daily round of the different mining properties worked by the Barrow Hematite Steel Company.
The above are taken from the “North Western News and Mail,” and were written by a Cambornian on the staff of the above paper. Mr John Webster Lawn was the last surviving brother of the late Thomas Lawn, well known in Reefton and Greymouth, and cousin of John Lawn, of Reefton.”
∗ While the Lawn cousins who came to New Zealand eventually settled down and married, two brothers of James and John: George and Henry returned to England to marry. Henry returned for a couple of years: he married Harriet Richards in Gwennap in 1868, and then went to work in the mines in Dalton in Furness where his first son Charles was born. In May 1870 he left the UK and returned to New Zealand and in 1873 sponsored his wife and baby son as new immigrants. George married Sarah Barnett in Gwennap in 1874 and had several children; he died in 1879 before his youngest was born.
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Written in Ink and Stone 
Revd.W.S.Picken , rector of St Martin-by-Looe, Cornwall, retired in September 1937 with the proceeds from a collection made by friends, members of ‘congregations’ and parishioners, whose names are listed below. One of the names was Mr & Mrs Gunson Lawn. Can you possibly tell me of their connection to Looe? I am writing a book on the parish of St Martin-by-Looe, my parish in which I was born. Sincerely John Southern. armiger4@gmail.com
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