Family Tree Blossoms: Laws Family Items carried across the world.

William and Sarah Laws and 4 children arrived in Brisbane in 1868.
There were various stories about why William left the employ of his Uncle William Camper in the Camper shipyard at Gosport Hampshire in July 1862.

Silver cup

Citation

So one branch of the family has the silver cup and citation that the workers at the shipyard gave him when he left. It states-

To Mr. William Laws

Respected Sir,

We are glad to see you here amongst us this evening to have the opportunity of expressing to you, on the one hand, our feelings of regret as far as ourselves are concerned, that you have left the place and position, which you have for so many years, so faithfully held as the Foreman of our employers, Mr Camper: but on the other hand, we cannot but rejoice to find you starting in a business we think, very likely with your well known perseverance and integrity to prove a successful one. And rest assured Sir, you leave us with the best feelings of every man and boy (some of whom you have known since childhood) and nothing will please us better than to hear you are prospering in your undertaking.

As a mark of the respect the whole of us feel for you, we now beg your acceptance of this silver cup & we heartily wish you every blessing, may your business prosper & may yourself, your wife & children enjoy health & happiness.

Signed on behalf of the employees of Mr. Wm Camper I Nobes, T Goodall

Where did he go next? His son Ernest Albert was born on the Isle of Wight in 1864 and further evidence is provided by the copies of 2 contracts that he signed for the construction of 2 yachts in his own shipyard on the Isle of Wight in 1863 and 1865. The one in 1863 was for Paul Artis Esq. of Portsmouth for a ship of 35 tons and would cost £265. The one in 1865 was for Courtnay Philipps Esq. of Brighton for a yacht of 75 tons.

Ship's compass

Another branch of the family has inherited a ship's compass with a lovely story attached. This story was told by Percy Murray Laws Snr. to his son.
" When my father passed away at the age of 82 years on the 15 th July 1911 my father's wish that the compass be passed onto the senior male of this Laws family. It came into my possession on his passing. Percy Murray Laws jnr.
William Laws borne 1829 This compass was given to William Laws by a Prussian Prince ( name unknown) who brought his yacht from Germany for repairs to the Camphour and Nichols boat yard England on or about 1854.Camphour was his uncle and he W Laws was foreman of the yard and was responsible for the repairs. Mr Camphour died in 1866 and through some deceitful work of the part of some person, when the will was read neither Mrs Camphour nor W Laws, my grandfather received nothing. This shocked my grandfather(W Laws) and he decided to mygrate to Australia. At the age of 38 years in the year 1867.
This was told to me (K Laws) by my father Percy Murray Laws jnr. it being left to him by his father."
As you can see by the citation above we have, some of this tale is not quite right.
It intrigued me about the will so I bought a copy of the will of William Camper( note the correct spelling of the name) who died 8 February 1863. Mrs Camper had died in 1851 so she definitely would not inherit anything from the will. His three daughters Mary Ann, Susanna and Amos( Amy) inherited most of the personal wealth. There was no mention of the shipyard in the will. However in the newspaper there was an advertisement in the Hampshire Telegraph 31 January 1863 ( just 8 days before he died)
as follows:
Notice is hereby given that WILLIAM CAMPER of Gosport in the County of Southampton, has this day DISPOSED OF and ASSIGNED his business of a ship and yacht builder carried on by him at Gosport to MR BENJAMIN NICHOLSON( foreman to him for many years), and in the future the Business will be carried on by the said Benjamin Nicholson on his own sole account, on the same premises as heretofore, under the name of "CAMPER & NICHOLSON"
Gosport 24th January 1863
So was the deceitful act done in 1862 to make William leave the shipyard? I guess we will never know.

A shot gun was presented to Br Wm Laws P C R by the Brother Foresters and friends as a Mark of Esteem and Respect Gosport Novr. 1867 just before they left from London in December 1867.

From Michael Langham: My Dad Les always told me of the story of Frank always having a shotgun loaded in the tent while he was away on his trips on the railway construction, just in case he ever needed some protection in a hurry.

I have Frank's shotgun now, it was presented to Frank by the Forrester's Lodge in Gosport when he left to come to Australia in 1867.

The shotgun is still in good working order, the maker's name was " HAIG" it is a 10 Gauge muzzle loading shotgun, it came with two bullet moulds, they were to cast different size solid lead round balls. One is for a large round ball, the other casts a smaller one approx 1/4" diameter, a number of the smaller balls would be loaded at one time usually about 9 or 10.

I have used it on many occasions, there is a oval silver plaque on the side of the stock of the shotgun with an inscription on it.

His Foresters Regalia was also brought to Australia but was last seen in the 1980's. Anyone seen it since please?
Below are other items handed down in the family.