Jack & Mrs Lawrence

click The Grocers of Lacey Green & Loosley Row for other grocery stores

Research by Joan West

John Henry Edward Lawrence known as "Jack" was born in 1902 in St Pancras, London.

In 1929 he married Ethel Louisa Woodhouse from Ware, Herts.

They had three children as follows :-

Basil John Lawrence born 1930 married Patricia Breakspear in January 1952.

Jean Mary Lawrence born 1931 married Fred Adams. they lived in Haw Lane, Bledlow Ridge

Mary Lawence born 1940 did not marry. click Mary Lawrence for her life story

????

Research Note. Although records show Jack's wife to be called Ethel Louisa, nobody seemed to know her Christian name in Loosley Row - she was "Mrs. Lawrence".

About 1932, Jack, Lawrence moved with his family to Loosley Row, leasing "Hill Croft", a smallholding at the top of Loosley Hill, being a cottage and three and a half acres.

In 1934 with extra rented land he started a small dairy herd. He started a milk and egg round.

Jack's Christmas Wish List

Things continued to prosper and bit by bit he added several more lean-to ‘rooms’ on the cottage.   So much so that men teased him that what he wanted for Christmas must be more nails and another hammer.

Eventually, despite Harvey's Stores at the bottom of Loosley Hill, he had a sizeable store selling everything from paraffin, hardware, all groceries and of course his home produced milk and eggs.   His delivery round naturally thrived in conjunction with the store.

The shop was largely run by his wife, with the added assistance firstly of Jean, born 1931 and later of Mary who was born in 1940.

1952 Jack Sub-Postmaster

In 1952 Jack became the local Sub-Postmaster, taking over from Arthur Harvey of Harvey’s Stores, he gave up keeping cows and sold his milk round to Wren Davis of Prestwood, leaving him to concentrate on poultry and ‘barley-beef ‘calves.  The shop became The third Post Office in Loosley Row.

Parish Magazine November 1955. Advertisement. J. Lawrence. Post Office and General Stores. Ice cream and confectionery. Specialities - Birds Eye Frozen Foods, Frenlite self-Raising Flour. Agent for Bees Ltd., Seeds, Trees, Shrubs, Etc. Phone Princes Risborough 537.

1970 Mary Sub-Postmistress

In 1970 Jack became ill. Mrs Lawrence had died in 1963 and Jean had married and left so it was decided to reduce the shop-cum-Post Office, leaving one small extension for Mary to run and Mary was appointed Sub-Postmistress. From now on only a few useful things were stocked in the shop, including of course eggs.

Hallmark 1981. Jack Lawrence died Tribute by Mrs L Williams.

"Mr Lawrence came to Loosley Row around 1930. His place was just a small cottage with a few acres. He built a wooden shop beside the cottage and together with his wife built up a successful grocery business. In 1952 he added the Post Office, becoming Postmaster when the Post Office in Lower Road, Loosley Row closed.

I found him a very interesting man. He knew a lot about the Bible and held his own definite view on religion and politics.

Apart from his great love of cattle, he had a hobby of making metal farm models, which caused quite an interest when they were shown at one of the open days at Walters Ash Middle School.

A man who through his own initiative gave a great service to this community. Our sympathy goes to Jean, Mary and Basil." (Put 'obituary' in Search for lives of other people)