Memorable Manitobans: John Polworth Lawrie (1875-1951)

John Polworth Lawrie Click to enlarge

Implement dealer, insurance broker, MLA (1937-1940), MLA (1941-1945), MLA (1946-1949).

Born at Edinburgh, Scotland on 25 August 1875, son of Robert Lawrie (1852-1906) and Annie Polworth (1848-1915), he was educated at George Heriots School (Edinburgh, Scotland). He came to Canada in 1893 and worked on a farm for a year then bought his own farm at Sidney. Ten year later, he and his father bought three grain elevators and moved them to Brookdale where he took up permanent residence, becoming an implement dealer and merchant, being later succeeded in business by his son Angus.

On 16 April 1907, he married May Clegg (1887-1963), the eldest daughter of Angus A. Clegg (1860-1938), of Brookdale. They had six children: Annie Catherine Lawrie (1908-?), Robert Polworth Lawrie (1910-?), Angus Campbell Lawrie (1912-1969), Jean Elsie Lawrie (?-?, wife of Stephen A. Moffatt), Margaret Lawrie (?-?, wife of A. W. Borer), and Elsie Lawrie (?-?, wife of W. G. Thomson). He was a Police Magistrate and later Police Commissioner. He was first elected to the Manitoba Legislature at the 1936 general election and was re-elected in 1941 and 1945. He was a member of Brookdale United Church and the Masons.

He died at Carberry on 17 October 1951 and was buried in the Brookdale Cemetery.

See also:

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Brookdale Grain Warehouse (Brookdale, Municipality of North Cypress-Langford)

Sources:

Marriage and death registrations, Manitoba Vital Statistics.

1911 Canada census, Automated Genealogy.

The Canadian Parliamentary Guide, 1938.

Members of the Legislative Assembly (deceased), Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.

“Under The Golden Boy, Manitoba’s M.L.A.s,” Winnipeg Tribune, 12 March 1943. [Manitoba Legislative Library, Biographical Scrapbook B9, page 126]

“J. P. Lawrie, ex-Conservative MLA, dies at 76,” Winnipeg Tribune, 18 October 1951. [Manitoba Legislative Library, Biographical Scrapbook B10]

Obituary [Angus C. Lawrie], Brandon Sun, 20 December 1969, page 15.

Obituaries and burial transcriptions, Manitoba Genealogical Society.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 6 July 2018

Memorable Manitobans This is a collection of noteworthy Manitobans from the past, compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. We acknowledge that the collection contains both reputable and disreputable people. All are worth remembering as a lesson to future generations. Search the collection by word or phrase, name, place, occupation or other text: Custom Search Browse surnames beginning with: A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | Y | Z Browse deaths occurring in: 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 Send corrections and additions to this page to the Memorable Manitobans Administrator at biographies@mhs.mb.ca Criteria for Memorable Manitobans | Suggest a Memorable Manitoban | Firsts | Acknowledgements Help us keep history alive!