L/Cpl 23649 Lawrence Redmond

Lawrence was born in Liverpool on 19th May 1893, the son of Lawrence Redmond and his wife Frances Isabella (née Love).His father, born in Ireland, and his mother, from Sheffield, married in Liverpool in 1893 and had three sons. Lawrence had younger brothers John, born in 1895, and Walter, in 1898. He was baptised in St. Alphonsus, Liverpool, on 29th May 1893.

 

In 1901 his parents are living at 25 Makin Street, Walton, with three sons and a domestic servant.  His father is 44, a cooper, his mother is 35, and Lawrence is 7.

 

His father died in January 1911, and was buried in Kirkdale Cemetery, in a private grave, Section 8, grave 589.

 

Apparently the family ran a pork butcher’s shop before his father died.

In 1911 his widowed mother, 45, is a pork butcher, employer, at 416 Prescot Road, The Stanley Pork Shop. (The premises are today a Polish delicatessen). Lawrence, 17, and John, 16, are assisting in the business.  Walter is 12, at school.  His widowed maternal grandmother, Charlotte Love, 70, and aunt Elizabeth Love, 32, are in the household, as well as Charles Keitel, pork butcher/servant, born in Germany.  When Charles Keitel married in 1912, Lawrence was a witness at his wedding. Charles’ father in law was a pork butcher, and the shop, where Charles lived and worked, was attacked during the anti-German riots of 1915, after the sinking of the Lusitania. Charles was interned shortly afterwards in May 1915 as an enemy alien.

 

Lawrence enlisted in Liverpool on 16th December 1914 joining the 17th Battalion as Private 23649. He gave his age as 22 years and 6 months and his occupation as a Clerk. He is described as being 5'4 inches tall, weighed 130lbs and was of dark complexion with hazel eyes and brown hair. His address was that of his parents 416 Prescot Road, Liverpool. 

He was immediately posted to the 17th Battalion but was transferred to 6 Depot on 07th May 1915 before subsequent transfers to the 3rd Battalion on 20th July 1915 and finally to the 21st Battalion on 04th August 1915. He was appointed unpaid Lance Corporal on 20th March 1916  

Lawrence became unwell whilst serving and he was discharged from service on 21st June 1916 with a Silver War Badge No. 4454. His discharge papers show that he was discharged as "being no longer physically fit for war service". The reason for the discharge was Pulmonary TB. The records show:

"Symptons started in January 1915. Severe cold in head and on chest, when he was off duty at home for one week. Afterwards he was left behind for home service, at which he continued until April 1st 1916 suffering from cough and irritability of throat during the whole time from outset until April 1st 1916, when he went home for 3 weeks. Returning to his regiment at Formby camp and being sent immediately to Altcar hospital for 10 days, and then onto VAD haspital, Southport.Suffering from Phlegm in cough, night sweats and weight loss. Present weight 7 stone 12 pounds, He says his weight on enlistment ( Dec 1914 ) was over 10 stone "

He was described as being of very good character with a very good Military character. 

Lawrence died on 31st March 1917, he was 23 years of age.

Lawrence now rests at Kirkdale Cemetery in Liverpool.

 

There are 519 First World War burials in the Cemetery.

 

His mother, Frances, remarried in 1927, and died in December 1929. She was buried with Lawrence’s father.

 

It appears that his mother Frances applied for a pension; the pension card shows “pending appeal”.  It is not likely the pension was awarded, as Lawrence was not considered a war casualty and was not included on the CWGC database until 2014. This followed an application by the group  In From the Cold Project who contacted CWGC as Lawrence previously had no CWGC record. The death certificate provided by IFCP was instrumental in getting due recognition for Lawrence. As such his CWGC headstone was erected recently in Kirkdale Cemetery, on the same plot as his parents.

 

Lawrence is commemorated in St. Anne’s Church, Stanley.