Charles Vincent Laws
William Laws > Benjamin Laws > Edmund Laws > Robert Laws > Charles Laws > Lavinia Laws > Noreen Merrin
Charles Vincent Laws was my great-great-grandfather.
Charles was the oldest of ten children born to Robert Laws and his wife, Charlotte, née Vincent. He was born in Hockwold, Norfolk in England on 29 February 1848 [1] and arrived in Sydney on 1 September 1853 at the age of four aboard the David McIver with his parents and younger sister, Mary Ann.
Charles was the oldest of ten children born to Robert Laws and his wife, Charlotte, née Vincent. He was born in Hockwold, Norfolk in England on 29 February 1848 [1] and arrived in Sydney on 1 September 1853 at the age of four aboard the David McIver with his parents and younger sister, Mary Ann.
Marriage and Children
On 20 February 1871, Charles married Mary Ann McGarry in the Liverpool area of Sydney. Charles was 22 years old and Mary Ann was 19 when they married [1].
The couple went on to have at least 14 children, two of whom (one male and one female) were either stillborn or who died soon after birth.
The couple went on to have at least 14 children, two of whom (one male and one female) were either stillborn or who died soon after birth.
Life in Sydney: 1870 - 1918
Charles and Mary Ann seem to have settled in Balmain after they were married, where Charles worked as a baker.
He subsequently became a publican in Liverpool and Campbelltown and the family lived and worked in the pubs he managed.
Their known residences and occupations come from their children's birth records:
1873 Ann Street, Balmain (baker)
1874-1876 Curtis Road, Balmain (baker)
1876-1879 Paper Mill Hotel, Liverpool (from licensing records; daughter Annie's birth record)
1879-1883 Commercial Hotel, Liverpool (birth of children; licensing records)
1884 Riley Street, Sydney?
1 July 1885-1 July 1894 The Royal Hotel, Campbelltown
1895 Macquarie Street, Liverpool (from daughter Mollie's birth cert)
1898-1904 11 Moorgate Street, Sydney (now Chippendale)
1916-1918 108 New Canterbury Road, Petersham
I haven't yet managed to locate the Paper Mill Hotel however Australia's first paper mill was opened in Liverpool in 1868 and operated until 1910. The hotel would have been located near the mill somewhere around the intersection between Atkinson and Shepherd Streets.
v SEC*M2*2**208 (with e) The referenceE*2**208 (with wife)ave reference SEC*M2*2**208 (with wi
He subsequently became a publican in Liverpool and Campbelltown and the family lived and worked in the pubs he managed.
Their known residences and occupations come from their children's birth records:
1873 Ann Street, Balmain (baker)
1874-1876 Curtis Road, Balmain (baker)
1876-1879 Paper Mill Hotel, Liverpool (from licensing records; daughter Annie's birth record)
1879-1883 Commercial Hotel, Liverpool (birth of children; licensing records)
1884 Riley Street, Sydney?
1 July 1885-1 July 1894 The Royal Hotel, Campbelltown
1895 Macquarie Street, Liverpool (from daughter Mollie's birth cert)
1898-1904 11 Moorgate Street, Sydney (now Chippendale)
1916-1918 108 New Canterbury Road, Petersham
I haven't yet managed to locate the Paper Mill Hotel however Australia's first paper mill was opened in Liverpool in 1868 and operated until 1910. The hotel would have been located near the mill somewhere around the intersection between Atkinson and Shepherd Streets.
v SEC*M2*2**208 (with e) The referenceE*2**208 (with wife)ave reference SEC*M2*2**208 (with wi
I think the photos above may have been taken in early 1904. This is because we know that the youngest child is Mollie and that she was born in 1895 and I think she looks to be about 9-years-old here. If the family photo was taken about that time, I think the boy standing next to Mollie is Ernie (aged 13). Several of the older children were married by then so, by a process of elimination, I think the two girls would be Charlotte (aged 25, married in 1904) and Olive (aged 21, never married), though I'm not sure which is which. From older photos of him, I'm pretty sure the young man on the left is Bill. The young man on the right is either Robert or Norman.
Note that Olive gave birth to an illegitimate baby in June 1904 so the photo is likely to pre-date that. Perhaps it was taken in late 1903 when her pregnancy was not showing. The young woman on the left looks very unhappy so perhaps that's Olive.
Note that Olive gave birth to an illegitimate baby in June 1904 so the photo is likely to pre-date that. Perhaps it was taken in late 1903 when her pregnancy was not showing. The young woman on the left looks very unhappy so perhaps that's Olive.
Children
Charles and Mary Ann Laws had the following children:
Vincent John (1871-1957). Married Lisa Keating in Newtown, 1898 (NSW BDM 6062/1898. Married Lillian Keating in St Peters, 1903 (NSW BDM 9353/1903).
Mary Ann Charlotte (1873-1873). No descendants.
Lavinia Jane Bennett (1874-1967). Known as Lilian [1]. Married Charles Merrin 1905. Descendant: Felicity.
Annie Maude (1876-1954). Known as Maude [1]. Married Walter G Harris 1900.
Robert John (1878-1952). Married Elizabeth Haussman 1915.
Charlotte Mary (1879-1969). Married Reginald C Saunders 1904.
Charles Norman (known as Norman) (1881-1959). Norman C on death certificate. Married Mary Erickson 1921.
Olive Mary (1883-1916). Never married. Illegitimate daughter, Mary, but unable to trace.
William Ambrose (1886-1958). Married Agnes Lafferty 1915.
Leo James (1888-1919). Married Lillie Salter 1916. Descendant: Cherie.
Ernest Eugene (1890-1982). Catholic priest so no descendants.
Mary Doris (1895-1977). Known as Mollie. Married Allan Miller 1921. Descendants: David, Anne, Margaret and their siblings
Vincent John (1871-1957). Married Lisa Keating in Newtown, 1898 (NSW BDM 6062/1898. Married Lillian Keating in St Peters, 1903 (NSW BDM 9353/1903).
Mary Ann Charlotte (1873-1873). No descendants.
Lavinia Jane Bennett (1874-1967). Known as Lilian [1]. Married Charles Merrin 1905. Descendant: Felicity.
Annie Maude (1876-1954). Known as Maude [1]. Married Walter G Harris 1900.
Robert John (1878-1952). Married Elizabeth Haussman 1915.
Charlotte Mary (1879-1969). Married Reginald C Saunders 1904.
Charles Norman (known as Norman) (1881-1959). Norman C on death certificate. Married Mary Erickson 1921.
Olive Mary (1883-1916). Never married. Illegitimate daughter, Mary, but unable to trace.
William Ambrose (1886-1958). Married Agnes Lafferty 1915.
Leo James (1888-1919). Married Lillie Salter 1916. Descendant: Cherie.
Ernest Eugene (1890-1982). Catholic priest so no descendants.
Mary Doris (1895-1977). Known as Mollie. Married Allan Miller 1921. Descendants: David, Anne, Margaret and their siblings
Death and Burial
Charles died on 3 February 1939 and is buried at Rookwood Cemetery in Sydney. His wife died before him and they are buried in the same grave. The grave reference is M2*2*208 however the grave is unmarked.a