People Australia

William John Lawrence (1867-1957) carpenter, trade union official and builder

Birth: 20 November 1867 at Cressy, Tasmania, son of Griffith Lawrence (1820-1904), labourer, born at Cadoxton-Juxta-Neath, Glamorgan, Wales, and native-born Elizabeth, née Collier (1844-1876). Marriage: 12 September 1900 at St Johns Anglican church, Franklin, Tasmania, to Eliza Harriet (Petty) Beltz (1873-1964), born in Tasmania. They had three sons and three daughters, one of whom died in childhood. Death: 8 March 1957 in Royal Hobart Hospital; usual residence New Town road, Cressy. 

• His father Griffith Lawrence had arrived at Hobart as a convict aboard the Cornwall on 11 June 1851.
• William was secretary of the Carpenters’ and Joiners’ Society, Hobart Branch, from 1918 to 1948.
• Leader of successful campaign for a 44 hour-week for Building Trade workers in Southern Tasmania, 1920. Campaigned for non-unionists to join which increased members from 184 to 342 in Hobart branch in 1920 and expanded to five branches in Tasmania, with a total membership of 525 in 1921.
• Member of the boards of the Technical School and the Hobart General Hospital and of the Apprenticeship Board. Also served on the Commonwealth Reconstruction Training Scheme Committee.
• Was a pensioner late in life. Cause of death: pneumonia and transverse pyelitis

Sources
Building & Transport Workers’ Union (Tasmania) October-November, 1979 pp 7, 9.