Robert Lawes

[Dannemois]

Can someone please help locate Robert Lawes on the 1871 census, who I believe was residing in Glamorgan at that time. [possibly Aberdare or Gelligaer]

Calculated from the information on the 81 census, the entry should look something like the following:

Robert Lawes, HD, M, 29, b. Durham, occ: Weigher?
Katherine Lawes, WI, M, 26, b. Durham
Alfred Lawes, SO, 07, b. Sunderland
Edith Lawes, DA, 06, b. Northumberland
George Lawes, SO, 02, b. Aberdare

Regards
Roy

[suzard]

there is this family name "Laws"

1871
Greenfield Cottages
bedwellty
Robert M laws 28 Colliery agent Belmont Durham
Kate E. I.L. wife 26 Washington Durham
Alfred E son 7 Sunderland Durham
Edith M daughter 6 Newcastle on Tyne
Fraederick(?) C son 5 Newcastle on Tyne
George Elliott son 2 Aberdare Glam
mary A Danncey Servant U 15 Domestic Glam
RG10 5323 7 8

Suz

[Dannemois]

Hi Su
Thanks you have located the family, I have since learnt his full name was Robert Morrow Laws and what is interesting the young George was obviously named after his grandfather, George Elliot.  Just a point of interest he was the Sir George Elliot who owned many colliers in South Wales and started the Powell Duffryn Company.  Katherine, was his niece.

Thanks again Suz

Roy

[Ebba]

Dear Dannemois and others
There seems to be posting after posting relating to this family on all the various genealogy lists and chats, I assume because of the connection to Sir George Elliot. I wonder if it would be helpful for me to give more information here.
In the earlier postings you have found Robert Morrow Law(e)s with wife Katherine (baptised Catherine) up to 1871. In the 1871 census he is Laws without the E again. He has come down from Durham to S Wales (possibly sponsored by Uncle George?). By 1881 he and Katherine have separated and he is living with a new wife (?), Sarah Ann, and daughter Ada, in Everton Lancashire. It does not look as if the move has done him much good financially, as he goes from being a Colliery Agent to an ironmonger. In 1881 Katherine is on her own in Brithdir with children Alfred, Edith, George, Harry, Arthur, Thomas and Bertha. In 1891 Katherine (now calling herself Kate) is in London with Bertha and now widowed daughter Edith and Edith's small son Percy Griffiths.
After this date they disappear from UK censuses, the reason being that they (Kate, Bertha and Edith anyway) are now in Australia. In December 1891 they sailed from London to Wellington, New Zealand, aboard the ship Ruapehu. It seems they probably made their way to Australia from NZ. In 1897 Katherine marries Valentine Jacob Hermann in Queensland, and she dies in Sydney on 27th September 1916. There are no Hermann children!
Robert Lawes died in Gateshead on August 7th 1907. Despite both he and Katherine having second marriages (or did he? - I can't find one for Robert and Sarah Ann), it is not clear if they ever divorced. In the 1891 census Kate actually says she is a widow. 
Hope this helps,
Ebba.

[Dannemois]

Ebba, that is absolutly brilliant, I was unaware there were so many people interested in George Elliott.  Many thanks for the summary and also some new info that I did not have.  It is much appreciated

Roy

[Dannemois]

Hi Ebba

Out of curiousity what other lists and chats etc are the various listings ref to Lawes and Elliott on?

[Ebba]

Glad it was helpful.
Yes there are quite a few others looking particularly for the Elliot side. Old George is a surprisingly difficult man to pin down as I'm sure you have discovered! Regarding other lists and chats I was going to say it was mainly Genforum, but looking I see it's not really true! I rather think it must be mainly people contacting me and my husband via Genes Reunited or Genes Connected, whatever they call themselves now. Perhaps I exaggerated a bit but we have both had quite a lot of contacts this way.
By the way there are a number of descendants of Edith and Bertha currently in Queensland. I have more info but the previous email was gettiing very long. Can I help with anything else in particular?
Ebba

[Dannemois]

Hi Ebba
I thought I would explain briefly my interest in the two families.  I am researching my local village, Brithdir, in the Rhymney Valley with the aim of writing its history and keen on learning anything and everthing on anyone that has had a connection.  I learnt from a friend that Katherine the niece of Sir George Elliott who was residing at one of the local farms in 1881 was an ancestor to a Prof: Bernard Knight.  His g.grandfather was Robert Morrow Lawes, Katherine’s husband.  Prof Knight very kindly answered a letter of mine with information on his ancestors.  George Elliott had a great deal of involvement with the mining industry in our area with a district named Elliottstown and the local mine Elliotts Colliery both named after him.  That said I would welcome any info you have and would also love to learn more about the descendants of Edith and Bertha. 

Roy

[Ebba]

Hi Roy,
OK thanks for telling me. Sounds interesting - does Brithdir have any other claims to fame?
My husband is related to Prof Knight and we have a certain amount of duplicate information, although I think we (husband and self) are slightly ahead on the more recent stuff, having only discovered firm information on the Australian connection quite recently. I think Sir George also has or had a Masonic Lodge named after himself in Cardiff.
Bertha married a certain Putt and Edith also remarried though can't remember who; it's their descendants in Queensland. I'll look up my files at the weekend and let you know next week.
I would love to know the background to Valentine Jacob Hermann, Katherine's second husband, but he seems quite elusive so far!
Cheers,
Ebba