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