RootsChat.Com

Beginners => Family History Beginners Board => Topic started by: will2102 on Wednesday 13 September 17 23:41 BST (UK)

Title: Dorothy Lawrence: 1888 - 1964
Post by: will2102 on Wednesday 13 September 17 23:41 BST (UK)
Hello

I am researching the life of Dorothy Lawrence, I want to write a film about her. She was a freelance journalist who ventured to the front lines during WW1 disguised as a soldier and spent ten days in the trenches with the 179 Tunnelling Company, 51st Division, Royal Engineers before succumbing to illness.

She was forced by the war office to not disclose any details of her adventures while the war continued. After which she released her book Sapper Dorothy Lawrence: The Only English Woman Soldier.

I am struggling to find information on her life, especially before and after the war. There are a lot of conflicting stories.

I believe she was adopted in 1901 by Josephine Fitzgerald of 31 The Close, Salisbury, who died in 1926.

In 1925 Dorothy accused her guardian - a prominent Church of England figure - of raping her during her youth. Soon after she was sent to Colney Hatch Lunatic Asylum where she remained until her death in 1964.

Any information on Dorothy's life, or that of Josephine Fitzgerald, would be hugely appreciated.

Cheers

Will
Title: Re: Dorothy Lawrence: 1896 - 1964
Post by: CaroleW on Wednesday 13 September 17 23:49 BST (UK)
Welcome to Rootschat

Was Dorothy Illegitimate - you don't say where  she was born

Have you found Dorothy or Josephine on the 1901 and 1911 census?

Josephine left a will - is Dorothy mentioned in it?

https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/#wills
Title: Re: Dorothy Lawrence: 1896 - 1964
Post by: CaroleW on Wednesday 13 September 17 23:55 BST (UK)
For birthplace/parentage info


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorothy_Lawrence

Title: Re: Dorothy Lawrence: 1896 - 1964
Post by: keyboard86 on Thursday 14 September 17 00:06 BST (UK)
Hi the death of Dorothy indicates she was born c 1888, in 1911 I can see a Dorothy Lawrence 23 occ Journalist b Shepherds Bush?

Keyboard86
Title: Re: Dorothy Lawrence: 1896 - 1964
Post by: wrjones on Thursday 14 September 17 00:07 BST (UK)
Josephine Fitzgerald is given as a Widow living in Wiltshire with her sister Helen Neville.Both are given as born in Croydon Surrey.

Regards
William Russell Jones.
Title: Re: Dorothy Lawrence: 1896 - 1964
Post by: CaroleW on Thursday 14 September 17 00:10 BST (UK)
Using the various censuses you should be able to trace Josephine's ancestry.  However - if Dorothy was born in 1888 there is no indication of her presence in Josephine's household in 1891/1901
Title: Re: Dorothy Lawrence: 1896 - 1964
Post by: CaroleW on Thursday 14 September 17 00:17 BST (UK)
What name did she enlist under?  Have you researched for any WW1 records/medals etc?

If you intend writing a film about her - none of the info given re her birth/adoption etc  appears to be supported in available documentation

Did you not check her death registration for her age at that time?

Have you checked whether her allegations of rape were published in any newspapers?
 

Title: Re: Dorothy Lawrence: 1896 - 1964
Post by: Annette7 on Thursday 14 September 17 00:30 BST (UK)
If the details of her parents are correct on Wikipedia - Thomas Hartshorn Lawrence and Mary Jane Biddell she was with her family in both 1901 and following census.   She was not born in Hendon but in Polesworth, Warwickshire.

Only 1 Josephine Fitzgerald in Wiltshire and at no time is there a Dorothy Lawrence with her.

The only Dorothy Lawrence death in Hendon (said to have died there 4/10/1964) was registered in Sept.qtr.Hendon so death date can't be right plus this Dorothy is said to have been born ca.1888!!

On 1939 Register also shown as born 1888!

She seems to have 'said' quite a lot but I can't see anything online to substantiate her claims.

Annette
Title: Re: Dorothy Lawrence: 1896 - 1964
Post by: CaroleW on Thursday 14 September 17 00:35 BST (UK)
Is she in an asylum in 1939?  If not - then the info given re her committal in the 1920's and her remaining there until her death are also incorrect
Title: Re: Dorothy Lawrence: 1896 - 1964
Post by: Dundee on Thursday 14 September 17 00:38 BST (UK)
For birthplace/parentage info

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorothy_Lawrence

The article has conflicting information.  "Lawrence was born in Hendon, Middlesex, of parents unknown. Probably illegitimate"  and "Born 4 October 1896 Hendon, Middlesex, Parent(s)    Thomas Hartshorn Lawrence, Mary Jane Beddall"

The 1896 birth was registered in Warwickshire, not Hendon, and I am pretty sure she married in 1923 to Joseph SUTTON.  In 1939 they are living in Market Bosworth.  She probably died in 1956.  One of the people who claim that journalist Dorothy was this woman might like to obtain the marriage cert to SUTTON to confirm her identity.

Debra  :)
Title: Re: Dorothy Lawrence: 1896 - 1964
Post by: Annette7 on Thursday 14 September 17 00:44 BST (UK)
Hi the death of Dorothy indicates she was born c 1888, in 1911 I can see a Dorothy Lawrence 23 occ Journalist b Shepherds Bush?

Keyboard86

Well spotted, Keyboard86.

Yes, CaroleW - in 1939 she is an 'inmate'.

So, the 'facts' show she was indeed bc.1888 per 1911 census, 1939 register (both state journalist) and her death in 1964.

Annette
Title: Re: Dorothy Lawrence: 1896 - 1964
Post by: keyboard86 on Thursday 14 September 17 00:46 BST (UK)
Hi re Josephine, on both the 1901 and 1911 census her sister Helen spells her surname NEVILL, there is a marriage of a Samuel Richard Fitzgerald to a Josephine Nevill Dec qtr 1888 Ticehurst 2b 223
Keyboard86
Title: Re: Dorothy Lawrence: 1896 - 1964
Post by: will2102 on Thursday 14 September 17 00:52 BST (UK)
you guys are blowing my mind.

this is my first time researching someone like this.

I feel quite stupid.

Where you finding all this info?

censuses, death certificates, marriage certificates..?

she never officially enlisted but had papers under the name of Denis Smith.

is there a way of searching newspapers from 100 years ago? I'd like to see if she is mentioned in any articles, and to see some of her own as well.

looks like most of my info is a load of crap.

I want to find out more about the rape allegation she made against her guardian. any ideas?

I think Samuel Fitzgerald died in 1890.
Title: Re: Dorothy Lawrence: 1896 - 1964
Post by: Dundee on Thursday 14 September 17 00:56 BST (UK)
This article says:

Military historian Simon Jones  stumbled across a copy of her long-forgotten book while working at  the Royal Engineers Museum in Chatham, Kent, ten years ago and is now writing her biography.

With his help, The Mail on Sunday has pieced together fragments of Dorothy’s personal and professional life – and can reveal for the first time that her rape allegations were sufficiently compelling to be included in her medical records, held in the London Metropolitan Archives.


http://www.rootschat.com/links/01kpx/

Perhaps you should ty to find the military historian mentioned in the article.

Debra  :)

Title: Re: Dorothy Lawrence: 1888 - 1964
Post by: Dundee on Thursday 14 September 17 00:59 BST (UK)
https://simonjoneshistorian.com/

Debra  :)
Title: Re: Dorothy Lawrence: 1888 - 1964
Post by: will2102 on Thursday 14 September 17 01:06 BST (UK)
thanks debra, he's currently writing her biography - has been for a while. he's reluctant to help me out until his book is released.
Title: Re: Dorothy Lawrence: 1888 - 1964
Post by: keyboard86 on Thursday 14 September 17 01:12 BST (UK)
Fascinating!

To complete the census returns for Josephine, in 1891 she is aged 41 Widow with her Mother and Sister at St Georges See?, Kensington
Census Ref RG12/18/94/42, in 1901 she is 51 b Croydon at The Close, New Sarum, Salisbury with a visitor Violet H Cutbril 24 occ Artist b North Cray, Kent plus 2 Servants
Census Ref RG13/1955/30/7
Keyboard86
Title: Re: Dorothy Lawrence: 1888 - 1964
Post by: mirl on Thursday 14 September 17 01:27 BST (UK)
Perhaps you should also try getting her medical records from Colney Hatch Asylum held my LMA.  I got a grand uncles from them a few years ago, he died 1926 but I'm not sure if they will release those with a 1964 death.
Title: Re: Dorothy Lawrence: 1888 - 1964
Post by: keyboard86 on Thursday 14 September 17 02:10 BST (UK)
Hi I see that a SimonJones made one post re Samuel Richard Fitzgerald/Josephine Neville, Josephine died 2nd November 1926 at 52, The Close, Salisbury, ( he also has a copy of her will) maybe a coincidence but in 1939 at that address was a Mary E Lawrence b 1879?
Keyboard86

EDIT possibly just a coincidence, as the sister of Josephine, Helen Nevill died at that address 6th January 1929 aged 80