Welsh Journals

George's will of 4 April 1855 was proved on 28 Feb. 185736 by his widow and brother Benjamin, two of his three executors and trustees, with power reserved to the third, George Heaton Harvey, a colleague in the 3% Reduced Office. George left his wife all his furniture, plate, linen and china, glassware and books. She and the other trustees received a leasehold house, 'formerly a stable', in York Mews, Baker Street, possibly the '19, York Buildings' he had been left by his uncle, with the instruction to pay its annual rent to George's brother Thomas Lawrence for life, provided that Thomas did not 'assign. or encumber' the rents, but enjoyed them himself. The trustees were to sell the rest of George's property-freeholds in Middlesex or elsewhere-and put the proceeds with all other profits, securities, ready money and so forth for certain specified purposes. A half share in the residue of his estate was to provide an income for life for his daughter Eliza Rose, and the other half to do the like for the younger girl, Maria Louisa Victorine. Her unusual third name must have come from Robert Lawrence's French wife. If both daughters died before the age of 21, or childless, Thomas Lawrence was to receive an extra £ 100 a year for life. Marianne was to receive the rest of the income for life if she remained a widow, and even if she remarried she was still to get £ 200 a year. Last in the entail were the children of George's brothers and sister. The will is very long, detailed and repetitive; it is consistent with our picture of the testator as possibly an anxiety neurotic--or like his uncle Benjamin, 'fair fussy' George's widow Mary Ann or Marianne was by the latter part of 1857 the occupier of 52 Cadogan Place. 37 On Census day in 1861 she was still there, still employing four female servants, including the lady's maid she had now had for twenty years of more, and still with her three sisters. One daughter, Maria, had died on 29 Dec. 1858. The remaining daughter, Eliza, was soon to marry. Her mother's will of 25 Nov. 1866, proved on 23 Jan. 1867,38 names her as Eliza Rose Collins, wife of William Collins, Q.C., and leaves her 'any article of plate, trinket, piece of furniture, etc.' she may choose. Marianne's three sisters were her chief legatees and executrices. By 1867 Eliza Hamer had died; the survivors, Maria Louisa Juliette and Catharine, proved Marianne's will. J. William Lawrence, 1793-1844, fourth son of John and Mary Lawrence: and his son William Robert Lawrence. William Lawrence was baptised on 29 July 1793. The Bank of England's records state that he was born 'in Devanner, North Wales (sic). Like George, he was employed by his father till he joined the Bank of England on 8 March 1810, as a bachelor. To the £ 1,000 guaranteed for George, uncle Benjamin Lawrence now added the promise of a like sum on behalf of William, who started his career in the 'Occasional Inspectors and Fixed Assistants' Office', where he worked till 1819/20. In January 1824 Benjamin was replaced as a guarantor, for the full £ 1000, by Thomas Lawrence, Esq., whom we shall shortly discuss. William was now employed in the 'Office for Discounted Bills- Unpaid'. Here he stayed until 1830/31, when his office became the 'Discount Office (and Office for Discounted Bills Unpaid)'. At the time