RootsChat.Com

Oh, him...I knew he did a lot of stuff but hadn't heard about Fiji.
Yes Trevor is a Lawes descendant. Start with the generation of your grandfather George - one of his sisters is Beryl Julia Lawes (1905-1957). She married Percy Steadman and Trevor is his son.
Ebba

Hi Symond
This is 'Ebba', I have heard of you via Samantha (your cousin not your sister) who has mentioned you and I think I've seen postings by you on her FB page. My husband Adrian is Samantha's cousin and the same generation as you, he is descended from George's (your grandfather) brother Victor. You are not actually descended from Sir George Elliot but from his brother Thomas. Thomas' daughter Katherine Elliot is the really interesting one, she was the one who put Elliot as a middle name for most of her sons to carry on the "proud tradition" (!) of being related to Sir George. Then in 1891, having separated from Robert, she took 2 daughters and a grandson to Australia where she married again, probably bigamously though there were no more children.
Robert also married again, probably bigamously, and had 4 more children in addition to the 8 he already had.
To go upwards in the family tree, your grandfather George was the son of Alfred Ernest Lawes (1863-1946), and Julia Wood. Alfred was the son of Robert Morrow Laws (no E in those days) (c 1840-1907) and that same Katherine Elliot. They did both come from the Durham area. Robert from Belmont, Pittington, and Katherine from Usworth near Gateshead.
Samantha can tell you who I am and probably give you my email address if you want. If she hasn't got it tell her to message me.
Cheers, Ebba

Dear Pat

That piece you have copied about the Lawes family was written by my husband!! As he has said, she was definitely a social climber. It looks very much as if she traded on her relationship with Sir George Elliot her uncle. Her obituary in the Sydney Morning Herald in September 1916 emphasises that relationship, and also says she is second cousin (not a very close relationship!) to the Very Rev Henry George Liddell D.D. late Dean of Christ Church Oxford. We don't know if this is true or not, but her husband was obviously left in no doubt about what he had to write about her after she was gone!

Looks like maybe your Grandpa George only ever had one photo taken!
Do you have one of Katherine, or maybe Robert Lawes her husband?

There is some thought in the family that Katherine might have travelled to South America to see George when he was working there, or perhaps to visit his grave in Brazil after his death. have you ever heard about this?

All the best
Ebba

Hi Roy

Yes isn't it exciting?
Pat may well have photos but I also have one of her grandfather George. I found it on a publicly available website though annoyingly I can't now remember which and can't seem to find the link address. I have tried to attach it here without success. I'll now try and message you privately with it.
I was also very surprised at the timeliness of Pat's posting as I have been doing a lot of research recently and went back onto Roots Chat again for the first time in ages only last week.
Through this I have found the son of Robert Leonard Lawes and his wife Mary nee Cross, though as he is unrelated to Katherine he may not be of interest to you. Robert Leonard Lawes is the eldest son of Robert Morrow Lawes and his second 'wife' (bigamous?) Sarah Prosser. (For the benefit of whoever, this son is Harry Leonard Morrow Lawes registered in Leeds 1907 and died Grimsby 1986).

But what really may be interesting to you is that Katherine's second husband (again, bigamous?) Valentine Jacob Herman(n) was probably part of a voyage from Europe aiming to colonise Papua New Guinea. I can send you full details if you'd like.

Best wishes, Ebba