Charles Napier Lawrence, 1st Baron Lawrence of Kingsgate (27 May 1855 – 17 December 1927), styled The Honourable Charles Lawrence between 1869 and 1923, was a British businessman and railway executive.

Background and education

Lawrence was born in India, the third son of

John Lawrence, 1st Baron Lawrence John Laird Mair Lawrence, 1st Baron Lawrence, (4 March 1811 – 27 June 1879), known as Sir John Lawrence, Bt., between 1858 and 1869, was an English-born Ulsterman who became a prominent British Imperial statesman who served as Viceroy ...

, and Harriette Katherine Hamilton , daughter of Reverend Richard Hamilton.

John Lawrence, 2nd Baron Lawrence John Hamilton Lawrence, 2nd Baron Lawrence (1 October 1846 – 22 August 1913) was a British peer and Conservative Party (UK), Conservative politician. Lawrence was the son of John Laird Lawrence, 1st Baron Lawrence, Viceroy of India, and Harriett ...

, and

Henry Arnold Lawrence Henry Arnold Lawrence (17 March 1848 – 18 April 1902) was a rugby union forward who played club rugby for Richmond F.C. and international rugby for England. He was the third captain of the England rugby team. Personal life Lawrence was born ...

were his brothers. He was educated at

Marlborough College Marlborough College is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school (English Independent school (United Kingdom), independent boarding school) for pupils aged 13 to 18 in Marlborough, Wiltshire, England. Founded in 1843 for the sons of Church ...

Career

Lawrence was Chairman of the

London and North Western Railway The London and North Western Railway (LNWR, L&NWR) was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. In the late 19th century, the L&NWR was the largest joint stock company in the United Kingdom. In 1923, it became a constituent of the Lo ...

from 1921 to 1923 and of the

London, Midland and Scottish Railway The London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMSIt has been argued that the initials LMSR should be used to be consistent with LNER, GWR and SR. The London, Midland and Scottish Railway's corporate image used LMS, and this is what is generally u ...

from 1923 to 1924 as well as Chairman of the North British and Mercantile Insurance Company and the Antofagasta and Bolivia Railway. In 1915, his portrait was commissioned by the shareholders of Antofagasta and Bolivia Railway in commemoration of his chairmanship of the company, a position he had held since 1908. The portrait was painted by

Walter William Ouless Walter William Ouless (21 September 1848 – 25 December 1933) was a British portrait painter from Jersey. He became an Associate of the Royal Academy (ARA) in 1877 and a full member (RA) in 1881. Life and career He was born in 1848 at 53 Para ...

. In 1923 he was elevated to the peerage as Baron Lawrence of Kingsgate, of

Holland House, Kingsgate Holland House, Kingsgate, in Kent, is a Georgian country house built between 1762 and 1768 as his retirement home by the politician Henry Fox, 1st Baron Holland (1705-1774), of Holland House in Kensington. It is a Grade II listed building ...

, in the County of Kent. He is recorded as having spoken twice in the

House of Lords The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the Bicameralism, upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by Life peer, appointment, Hereditary peer, heredity or Lords Spiritual, official function. Like the ...

Personal life

On 22 June 1881, Lawrence married American Catherine Sumner, only daughter of Frederick Wiggin Sumner of

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

, niece of

James W. Gerard James Watson Gerard III (August 25, 1867 – September 6, 1951) was a United States lawyer, diplomat, and justice of the New York Supreme Court. Early life Gerard was born in Geneseo, New York. His father, James Watson Gerard Jr., was a lawy ...

and great-niece of General

Edwin Vose Sumner Edwin Vose Sumner (January 30, 1797March 21, 1863) was a career United States Army officer who became a Union Army general and the oldest field commander of any Army Corps on either side during the American Civil War. His nicknames "Bull" or "Bul ...

. There were no children from the marriage. Lord Lawrence of Kingsgate died in December 1927, aged 72, when the barony became extinct. Lady Lawrence of Kingsgate died 7 November 1934. The grave of Charles Lawrence, 1st Baron Lawrence of Kingsgate, in the churchyard of St Peter-in-Thanet, Kent

The grave of Charles Lawrence, 1st Baron Lawrence of Kingsgate, in the churchyard of St Peter-in-Thanet, Kent

Arms

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Lawrence Of Kinsgate, Charles Lawrence, 1st Baron 1855 births 1927 deaths Barons in the Peerage of the United Kingdom Younger sons of barons People educated at Marlborough College Directors of the London and North Western Railway London, Midland and Scottish Railway people Barons created by George V