Alfred Lawrie Explained

Alfred Lawrie
Birth Name:Alfred Ainslie Lawrie
Birth Date:25 October 1882
Birth Place:Edinburgh, Scotland
Death Place:North Berwick, Scotland
Ru Position:Wing
Amatyears1:1903–05
Amatyears2:1905–
Amatteam1:Oxford University
Amatteam2:Edinburgh Wanderers
Provinceyears1:
Refereeyears1:1923
Refereeyears2:1926
Refereeyears3:1926
Refereecomps1:Scottish Districts
Refereecomps2:Five Nations Championship
Refereecomps3:Melrose Sevens
Relatives:Charles Lawrie, son
School:Fettes College
University:Trinity College, Oxford
Module2:
Embed:yes
Office:President of the Scottish Rugby Union
Term Start:1936
Term End:1938
Order:57th

Alfred Lawrie (1882–1942) was a Scottish rugby union player and an international referee. He became the 57th President of the Scottish Rugby Union.[1]

Rugby Union career

Amateur career

He was educated at Fettes College and Oxford University. At Oxford's Trinity College he played for the rugby union team Oxford University,[2] receiving his first 'blue' on 1903.[3]

On his return to Scotland, Lawrie played for Edinburgh Wanderers.[3] [4] [5]

Referee career

He refereed the Scotland Probables versus Scotland Possibles match in December 1923.[6]

He became an international referee. He refereed the Ireland versus France match in the Five Nations Championship of 1926.[7]

Lawrie refereed in the 1926 Melrose Sevens.[8]

Administrative career

He was a committee member of the SRU before becoming President.[2]

He was the 57th President of the Scottish Rugby Union, in post from 1936 to 1938.[9]

His time as President was notable as he gave comprehensive statements to the Press after General Meetings of the SRU. This was reported as a 'revolutionary break with tradition' for the SRU.[3]

Cricket career

He played cricket both for Fettes College and Trinity College in Oxford.[10]

Stockbroking and business career

He was a senior partner in the firm Lawrie & Ker of Edinburgh.[2] In 1925, he became a member of the Edinburgh Stock Exchange Committee; in 1931 he was elected its chairman.[11]

He held many directorships of various companies:- the first, second and third Edinburgh Investment Trusts; Murrayfield Ice Rink and Sports Stadium; Oregon Mortgage Company; Realisation and Debenture Corporation of Scotland; the Scottish Insurance Corporation; and the Scottish Reversionary Company.[11]

He was the Chairman of Rest Hotels; and the St. Andrews Trust.[11]

He was a Vice-President of the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce until 10 days before his death, when he retired due to ill-health.[11]

Other interests

He wrote a register of Fettes College in 1923; 'The Fettes College Register 1870–1922'.[12] He was a Governor of the Fettes Trust.[11] He refereed the College Sports Day in 1922.[13]

During the Second World War he joined the Special Constabulary. He also did philanthropic work with the Church of Scotland for the Hut and Canteen work for H.M. armed forces; and was an elder of St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh.[14] [11]

He was a Chairman of the West Edinburgh Unionist Association.[11]

He was also a Justice of the Peace for Edinburgh City Council.[11]

Death

Lawrie died on 2 May 1942 at his home in North Berwick.[2] He was cremated on 5 May 1942.[15]

He died in the same weekend as Patrick Munro. Munro had a similar career to Lawrie: both went to Oxford University and played for the Oxford University rugby union side, both breaking through in 1903; both became Presidents of the Scottish Rugby Union; and both were prominent Unionists.[16]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Alfred Ainslie Lawrie. ESPN scrum.
  2. Web site: https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000564/19420504/017/0002. British Newspaper Archive.
  3. Web site: https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000452/19420509/089/0003. British Newspaper Archive.
  4. Web site: https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000452/19051222/073/0007. British Newspaper Archive.
  5. Web site: https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000452/19030103/065/0003. British Newspaper Archive.
  6. Web site: https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000469/19231227/049/0007. British Newspaper Archive.
  7. Web site: Ireland v France. ESPN scrum.
  8. Web site: https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002783/19260416/085/0004. British Newspaper Archive.
  9. Web site: Scottish Rugby Record . s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com . 2020-04-01 . 16 November 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191116210013/https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/sru-files/files/SR_RR1819_digital.pdf . dead .
  10. Web site: The Home of CricketArchive. stats.edgbaston.com.
  11. Web site: https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000540/19420504/080/0004. British Newspaper Archive.
  12. Web site: Author – Alfred Ainslie LAWRIE. www.authorandbookinfo.com.
  13. Web site: https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000540/19220403/210/0004. British Newspaper Archive.
  14. Web site: https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000540/19420506/115/0004. British Newspaper Archive.
  15. Web site: Alfred Ainslie Laurie. www.deceasedonline.com.
  16. Web site: https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000452/19420504/049/0002. British Newspaper Archive.