Builder and local politician. Born Stratford to a father with the same name and his wife Mary. From : A member of the Rotherhithe Vestry, at the first election to the London County Council in 1889 he became a Progressive Party councillor representing Southwark, Rotherhithe. He held the seat until his death."
Lawrence Stevens was born on 27 September 1823 in Stratford, Essex, a son of Lawrence Stevens (1801-1849) and Mary Stevens née Thorne (1801-1883). On 2 March 1828 he was baptised at All Saints Church, West Ham.
In the 1841 census he is shown as a bricklayer living in Union Street, Stratford, with his parents and six siblings: Selina Stevens, William Stevens, Elizabeth Stevens, Samuel Stevens, Ann Stevens and Jane Stevens. His father's occupation was also described as a bricklayer.
On 25 December 1848 he married Catherine Ann Byers (1826-1857) in the Parish Church of St Mary's, Newington, Surrey, where the marriage register shows him as a bricklayer living at Nelson Street, Newington, whilst she was spinster residing at Molesworth Square, Newington. They had four children: Lawrence Stevens (1849-1909), Preston Stevens (1851-1856), Bishop Stevens (1853-1932) and Anne Marie Stevens (1855-1919).
The 1851 census describes him as a bricklayer living in Plaistow Grove, West Ham, with his wife and son together with a female domestic house servant aged 11 years. His wife died aged 31 years and when she was buried on 14 May 1857 the burial register shows that the family were living at Rotherhithe New Road, Bermondsey.
On 22 December 1858 he married Mary Bowden Wellington Truman (1836-1904) at Christ Church, Rotherhithe, where the marriage register shows him as a widower and builder living at 27 Crystal Terrace, Rotherhithe, whilst his wife was recorded as a spinster residing at 4 Millpond Street, Bermondsey. They had three children: Maud Mary Stevens (1859-1918), Truman Stevens (1861-1945) and Mary Wellington Stevens (1865-1958).
In the 1871 census he is described as a master bricklayer living in Crystal Terrace, Rotherhithe, with his wife and four children: Anne, Maud, Truman and Mary. The 1881 census shows him as a builder employing 4 men and 2 lads living at 141 Deptford Lower Road, Rotherhithe, with his wife and three children: Maud, Truman and Mary. When the 1891 census was taken he was shown as a builder living at 191 Lower Road, Rotherhithe, with his wife and a female servant.
He died, aged 70 years, on 5 May 1894 and was buried in Southwark on 10 May 1894. Probate records confirm that his address remained as 191 Lower Road, Rotherhithe, and that when probate was granted on 30 May 1894 to his two sons, Lawrence and Truman, who were both builders, his estate totalled £1,014-10s-0d.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
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