William George Lawes
Encyclopedia
William George Lawes was an English
-born Congregationalist minister, missionary and public lecturer. He was regarded as an expert on Papua
.
Lawes was born in Aldermaston
, Berkshire
, the son of Richard Lawes, a tailor, and his wife Mary, née Pickover, and was educated in Mortimer West End. Aged 14, Lawes went work in Reading
, where in 1858 Rev. William Gill came bringing with him a native from the island of Rarotonga
. In the same year, Lawes volunteered for service with the London Missionary Society
. On 8 November 1860 Lawes married Fanny Wickham and 15 days later they sailed to Savage Island (now Niue
).
In 1868, Lawes was joined in Niue by his brother Frank. In 1872, Lawes began a lecture tour in Britain of his missions. Two years later he moved to New Guinea
and settled in Port Moresby
; his family became the first permanent European residents of Papua.
Lawes became an expert in the Motuan
language and friend of all the south coast tribes. Lawes served as interpreter for the Protectorate proclamation by James Elphinstone Erskine in 1884.
In 1877 a colleague, James Chalmers
arrived; Lawes left for England the next on furlough. Lawes had started eleven new missions in Papua and produced the first Papuan-language book. Lawes fought against the abuses in the Pacific labour trade.
In 1885, Lawes was the unofficial adviser to Sir Peter Scratchley
in his travel around the Papuan coast. In the same year, Lawes published Grammar and Vocabulary of Language spoken by Motu Tribe, New Guinea. Lawes was also adviser to the colonial governor, William MacGregor
.
In 1891, Lawes conducted a lecture tour of the colonies of Australia. In 1894 was awarded a doctorate of divinity by the University of Glasgow
on MacGregor's recommendation. Lawes retired in 1906 and moved to Sydney
where he died on 6 August 1907. Lawes was survived by his wife and three of their six children.
Lawes' son Frank worked as a government officer in the New Guinea protectorate and colony, he died there in 1894.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
-born Congregationalist minister, missionary and public lecturer. He was regarded as an expert on Papua
Papua Region
Papua Region is one of four regions of Papua New Guinea. The region includes the national capital Port Moresby.-Subdivision:The Region is administratively divided into six provinces:* Central Province* Gulf Province* Milne Bay Province...
.
Lawes was born in Aldermaston
Aldermaston
Aldermaston is a rural village, civil parish and electoral ward in Berkshire, South-East England. In the 2001 United Kingdom Census, the parish had a population of 927. The village is on the southern edge of the River Kennet flood plain, near the Hampshire county boundary...
, Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
, the son of Richard Lawes, a tailor, and his wife Mary, née Pickover, and was educated in Mortimer West End. Aged 14, Lawes went work in Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
, where in 1858 Rev. William Gill came bringing with him a native from the island of Rarotonga
Rarotonga
Rarotonga is the most populous island of the Cook Islands, with a population of 14,153 , out of the country's total population of 19,569.The Cook Islands' Parliament buildings and international airport are on Rarotonga...
. In the same year, Lawes volunteered for service with the London Missionary Society
London Missionary Society
The London Missionary Society was a non-denominational missionary society formed in England in 1795 by evangelical Anglicans and Nonconformists, largely Congregationalist in outlook, with missions in the islands of the South Pacific and Africa...
. On 8 November 1860 Lawes married Fanny Wickham and 15 days later they sailed to Savage Island (now Niue
Niue
Niue , is an island country in the South Pacific Ocean. It is commonly known as the "Rock of Polynesia", and inhabitants of the island call it "the Rock" for short. Niue is northeast of New Zealand in a triangle between Tonga to the southwest, the Samoas to the northwest, and the Cook Islands to...
).
In 1868, Lawes was joined in Niue by his brother Frank. In 1872, Lawes began a lecture tour in Britain of his missions. Two years later he moved to New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
and settled in Port Moresby
Port Moresby
Port Moresby , or Pot Mosbi in Tok Pisin, is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea . It is located on the shores of the Gulf of Papua, on the southeastern coast of the island of New Guinea, which made it a prime objective for conquest by the Imperial Japanese forces during 1942–43...
; his family became the first permanent European residents of Papua.
Lawes became an expert in the Motuan
Motuan
The Motuans are native inhabitants of Papua New Guinea, living along the southern coastal area of the country. Their indigenous language is known as Motu, and they are believed to be the descendants of Polynesian immigrants who intermarried with the native Melanesians of the area...
language and friend of all the south coast tribes. Lawes served as interpreter for the Protectorate proclamation by James Elphinstone Erskine in 1884.
In 1877 a colleague, James Chalmers
James Chalmers (missionary)
James Chalmers was a Scottish-born missionary, active in New Guinea.-Early life:James Chalmers was born in a small town called Ardrishaig, Argyleshire, Scotland, the only son of an Aberdonian stonemason. The family moved to Inverary when James was seven. There he went to the local school, and then...
arrived; Lawes left for England the next on furlough. Lawes had started eleven new missions in Papua and produced the first Papuan-language book. Lawes fought against the abuses in the Pacific labour trade.
In 1885, Lawes was the unofficial adviser to Sir Peter Scratchley
Peter Scratchley
Sir Peter Henry Scratchley K.C.M.G. was special commissioner for Great Britain in New Guinea 1884-1885 and defence adviser for Australia....
in his travel around the Papuan coast. In the same year, Lawes published Grammar and Vocabulary of Language spoken by Motu Tribe, New Guinea. Lawes was also adviser to the colonial governor, William MacGregor
William MacGregor
Sir William MacGregor GCMG, CB was a Lieutenant-Governor of British New Guinea, Governor of Newfoundland and Governor of Queensland.-Early life:...
.
In 1891, Lawes conducted a lecture tour of the colonies of Australia. In 1894 was awarded a doctorate of divinity by the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
on MacGregor's recommendation. Lawes retired in 1906 and moved to Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
where he died on 6 August 1907. Lawes was survived by his wife and three of their six children.
Lawes' son Frank worked as a government officer in the New Guinea protectorate and colony, he died there in 1894.