Name |
Thomas William Lawton |
Birth |
10 Nov 1812 |
Guernsey, Channel Islands [1, 2] |
Gender |
Male |
Anecdote |
1835 |
Weymouth, Dorset, England [3] |
- His family were all interested in music and as Thomas grew he studied the organ and singing. In 1835, about the time of his marrige to Ann Mabey, Thomas was the conductor of a Choral Society in Weymouth. To celebrate Queen Victoria's Coronation, Musical Festivals were to be held throughout the British Isles. All msical bodies participating were practicing assiduously. Thomas Lawton was commanded to conduct his choir in a rendition of "Handel's Messiah" before the Queen in 1837. The arge score which he used on that and many other occasions may be inspected today, it being in a wonderful state of preservation."
|
Census |
1841 |
High Street, Weymouth, Dorset, England [4] |
- Thos Lawton, M, 28, Builder, born out of county in Guernsey
Ann Lawton, F, 28, born in county
William Lawton, M, 1, born in county
|
Residence |
1850 |
Sixth and Seventh Street, Bowden, Australia [5] |
- Thomas Lawton was soon busy looking for suitable land to build a home and school. Bowden was thought to be the most suitable land as the Hindmarsh district was a growing community. He preferred North Adelaide where the rising ground appealed to him. However, he bought land at Sixth and Seventh Street, Bowden, where he built a four roomed cottage of limestone and brick with a slate roof. Here the family resided; in 1852 he built a schoolroom and Mrs. Lawton was licenses to teach and conducted a school for girls and boys.
|
Emigration |
8 Feb 1850 |
South Australia [5] |
- "In 1849, Thomas William Lawton became so interested in Australia that he decided to book passages for himself and family to South Australis. Grandma Mabey decided to come also so as to assist with the children on the voyage. He had been advised that there was a definite need of school and music teachers in South Australia. On the 8th February 1850, they sailed from Plymouth on the ship Fatima, Commander Ray being in charge. The number of passengers being 223, comprising of 42 married couples, 37 single men, 27 single girls and 75 children. Near the Cape of Good Hope a severe storm was encountered and it took two weeks to round the Cape. When the storm was at it's worst, the Captain ordered all passengers to be battened below. Mrs. Mabey begged to be allowe to remain on deck, saying, 'I am a Captain's wife, you know." the Captain ordered a chair to be lashed to the mast. Then having securely tied her in, covered her over and around with tarpaulins where as she said, "She rode out the storm." The journey took 4 months and they anchored in South Australia on the 10th of June 1850. Going ashore they found the hotels full and no accomodation. However for a l pound note they were granted sufficient space in which to stack their luggage. There the seven rested for the night. Next day, Thomas Lawton hired a bullock wagon and driver to take them to Adelaide. Grandma Mabey, being 70 years of age, was allowed to ride with the luggage. The rest walked beside the wagon to Gawler Place, Adelaide, where friends lived upon whose advice they had come to South Australia."
|
Anecdote |
1858 |
Seventh Street, Bowden, Australia [5] |
- Thomas Lawton taught music and singing and later built a large boy's school facing Seventh Street in Bowden, for which the Government in 1858 granted him a license. The first year 53 boys were registered. This school hall was used for the initial opening of the "Star of Freedom" branch of the Rechabite Lodge with Mr. Lawton as Secretary. It continued to meet there for over 20 years, then opened in the Hindmarsh town Hall buildings. When he passed on, the officials had a portrait painted in oils, which they presented to Mrs. Lawton to keep in trust for them while she lived. Then it returned to the Lodge where it hands in their room
|
Memo |
Bowden, Australia [5] |
- also started the first Building Society in the Colony, which enabled many residents to purchase their homes by buying shares in the Society. It continued to function until 1920 with their son Edward as Chairman.
|
Reference Number |
15205 |
Religion |
- The Lawtons belonged to the Church of England, but the distance to the City proved a drawback to their regular attendance. In Fourth Street, the Wesleyans had a chapel which they attended and when a new chapel was opened in East Street, Brompton, in December 1850 Thomas Lawton was resident organist and choir master and the family became Wesleyan Methodists.
|
Death |
7 Sep 1882 |
Bowden, South Australia, Australia [6] |
Burial |
Wesleyan Cemetery, Walkerville, South Australia, Australia [7] |
Person ID |
I15128 |
Maybee Society |
Last Modified |
7 Apr 2024 |
Family |
Ann Mabey, b. 4 Nov 1812, Wyke Regis, Dorset, England d. 10 Aug 1888, Hindmarsh, South Australia, Australia (Age 75 years) |
Marriage |
19 Jan 1837 |
Melcombe Regis, Dorset, England [8] |
Children |
+ | 1. Eliza Ann Lawton, b. 7 Mar 1838, Weymouth, Dorset, England d. 24 Jan 1908, Holden Street, Hindmarsh, South Australia, Australia (Age 69 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] |
| 2. William Thomas Lawton, c. 29 Mar 1840, Holy Trinity Church, Weymouth, Dorset, England d. 27 Jul 1881, Walkerville, South Australia, Australia (Age ~ 41 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] |
| 3. Martha Jane Lawton, c. 27 Feb 1842, Holy Trinity Church, Weymouth, Dorset, England d. 3 May 1913, Norwood, South Australia, Australia (Age ~ 71 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] |
| 4. Alfred Lawton, b. Abt 31 Dec 1843, High Street, Weymouth, Dorset, England d. Abt 11 Jan 1844, High Street, Weymouth, Dorset, England (Age 0 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] |
| 5. Edward James Lawton, c. 4 Jan 1846, Holy Trinity Church, Weymouth, Dorset, England d. 1924, South Australia, Australia (Age ~ 77 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] |
|
Family ID |
F3615 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
Last Modified |
7 Apr 2024 |