Name
Maurice Gibson Lawson
19/08/1900
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
07/11/1916
18
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
TR5/173331
Durham Light Infantry
53rd Bn.
"A" Coy.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Searched but not found
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
FOREST TOWN (ST. ALBAN) CHURCHYARD
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
"GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS"
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Waltham Cross Memorials
Pre War
Maurice Gibson LAWSON was born in South Shields, Co Durham, on 19th August 1900, son of Peter Gibson Lawson a Certified School Master and Alice Maud Lawson (nee Blench) a Certified School Mistress. The eldest of four children. His parents were married on 15th July 1899, at St Aidens Church, South Shield.
1901 Census records Maurice aged 7 months living with his parents at 2 Woodland Terrace, South Shields, Co Durham. His widowed Grandmother Mary Blench, Cousin Edna Nicholson (7) were living with the family, they had a live-in Housemaid Sigrid Nordberg.
1911 Census, Maurice (10), his parents, brothers Clifford (8), Noel (6) and sister Eleen (5), were living at 287 Beckton Road, Canning Town, West Ham, London, where both his parents are recorded as school master and school mistress.
His mother Alice passed away in October 1912, aged 36, in West Ham, London.
His father Peter remarried in March 1916 to Emily Susannah Lawrence.
Wartime Service
Maurice enlisted around his 18th birthday, posted to “A” Company, 53rd (Young Soldiers) Battalion, Durham Light Infantry (DLI) at Clifton Camp, Clifton, Co Durham, issued with the service number TR5/173331. (The 53rd Battalion, DLI, was a basic training unit).
Maurice died on 7th November 1918, aged 18, at Clifton Camp Hospital, of Influenza. He is buried in Forest Town (St Aldan) Churchyard.
Maurice did not qualify for a War Medal as he served under six months and did not serve overseas.
Additional Information
His effects of £3-14s-05d, pay owing, went to his father Peter Lawson. He did not qualify for a war gratuity as he served under six months.
His Headstone inscription “"GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS” was requested by his father Peter.
His father and stepmother later moved to 25 Station Road, Waltham Cross, Herts, this is the only known connection Maurice had to Waltham Cross, Herts. Where his father was a School Master.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
