Lawson, Hugh McDowall., 1912-1997 son of John Lawson; Common Wealth MP, 1944

These papers refer to five generations of the Lawson family, originally of Leeds and later of Nottingham. The main focus of the papers is John Lawson (1878-1969) who was brought up in Leeds and trained as a pharmaceutical chemist working at Bostock and Sons in Ashton-under-Lyne, Manchester, Hayes Cuningham and Robinson, Dublin and the Daisy Company Limited in Leeds before being asked by Jesse Boot to join Boots as a manager. Lawson moved to West Bridgford upon employment with Boots and remained in the city with his wife Faith Winifred Clokie (1880-1974) for the rest of his life, apart from a brief spell when he moved to be with his daughter in Wembley. Outside of work he was a very active Methodist, teaching in the Sunday School and was chairman of West Bridgford UDC for a number of years.

John Lawson (1845-1911), the father of John Lawson (1878-1911) was also born in Leeds. Aged 15 he joined William Cook, paperhanger as an office boy. At 18 he began travelling on behalf of the company as a salesman until he became more actively involved in his brother's carpet business in 1874. On 2 Feb. 1871 he married Sophia Parker Gardner (1842-1925), the niece and adopted daughter of Councillor Thomas Parker of Woodhouse Carr. He was also notable in Methodist affairs in Leeds.

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