One Boy in Blue
Police Constable Lawrence George Harding Brighton Borough Police and St John Ambulance.
The Man Lawrence George Harding (Laurie) was born on 23rd September 1909 in Croydon, Surrey son of George, a Warehouseman and Grocer’s Assistant and Jeanette Beatrice nee Tidy. He was Baptised by Ernest A Phillips on 21st November in the Parish of St James, Croydon and lived with his parents at 110 Sydenham Road, North Croydon.
By the time of the 1911 census they were at the same address. Following his education Lawrence became a Porter and on 9th February 1927 aged 17 enlisted into the Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment with service number 6083332 for four years. He seems to have settled in Surrey as after his Army service, he joined Brighton Borough Police as a Constable and the St John Ambulance Brigade No 8 Brigade, in about 1930.
During the last quarter of 1932 aged 23, Laurie married Emily Florence Rowland in Petworth, Chichester. The 1939 census shows them living in Brighton, Lawrence as a Police Officer and Emily doing unpaid domestic duties. During World War II Laurie served in Brighton Borough Police, a difficult time in many regards for the Police Force, which together with other forces for the counties of East and West Sussex and the boroughs of Hove, Eastbourne and Hastings amalgamated temporarily during the conflict from 1943 until 1947, but then, with the exception of Hove, reverted to the old system for another two decades.
In 1942 Laurie was awarded the Service Medal of the Order of St John for 12 years’ service. Followed by the Defence Medal for his war time service and later the Police Exemplary Service Medal in about 1951, the year it was instituted to recognise 22 years exemplary service.
Nothing is known about Laurie's later life, but he passed away in May 1984 aged 74 in Surrey and Emily died 11 years later in October 1995.
By the time of the 1911 census they were at the same address. Following his education Lawrence became a Porter and on 9th February 1927 aged 17 enlisted into the Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment with service number 6083332 for four years. He seems to have settled in Surrey as after his Army service, he joined Brighton Borough Police as a Constable and the St John Ambulance Brigade No 8 Brigade, in about 1930.
During the last quarter of 1932 aged 23, Laurie married Emily Florence Rowland in Petworth, Chichester. The 1939 census shows them living in Brighton, Lawrence as a Police Officer and Emily doing unpaid domestic duties. During World War II Laurie served in Brighton Borough Police, a difficult time in many regards for the Police Force, which together with other forces for the counties of East and West Sussex and the boroughs of Hove, Eastbourne and Hastings amalgamated temporarily during the conflict from 1943 until 1947, but then, with the exception of Hove, reverted to the old system for another two decades.
In 1942 Laurie was awarded the Service Medal of the Order of St John for 12 years’ service. Followed by the Defence Medal for his war time service and later the Police Exemplary Service Medal in about 1951, the year it was instituted to recognise 22 years exemplary service.
Nothing is known about Laurie's later life, but he passed away in May 1984 aged 74 in Surrey and Emily died 11 years later in October 1995.
The Story The medal trio awarded to Lawrence George Harding were acquired from E-Bay on 15th March 2020. They initially aroused little interest, but after a period of reflection, mainly that they were a double long service group and a slightly unusual combination, were bid upon and won for a reasonable price.
Lawrence’s surname was detailed as Laurence on E-Bay and upon closer inspection of his Police Exemplary Service Medal, it did indeed look like LAU, but upon cleaning and even closer checking it was LAW officially corrected. However, either way it is good to have two named medals to the same man in the group.
The starting point on Ancestry.UK was the 1939 census for all Laurence / Lawrence G Harding’s. As hoped for this made the correct connection and showed him as a serving Police Officer in Brighton. The remaining details were automatically linked once his detail was confirmed it was possible to build up a very brief biography.
Lawrence’s surname was detailed as Laurence on E-Bay and upon closer inspection of his Police Exemplary Service Medal, it did indeed look like LAU, but upon cleaning and even closer checking it was LAW officially corrected. However, either way it is good to have two named medals to the same man in the group.
The starting point on Ancestry.UK was the 1939 census for all Laurence / Lawrence G Harding’s. As hoped for this made the correct connection and showed him as a serving Police Officer in Brighton. The remaining details were automatically linked once his detail was confirmed it was possible to build up a very brief biography.
Medal Details:
- Defence Medal: Unnamed as awarded.
- Police Exemplary Service Medal: CONST. LAWRENCE G.HARDING
- Service Medal of the Order of St John: 24809. CPL. L.G.HARDING. No8 DIS. S.J.A.B. 1942
This page last updated 18 Mar 20
68