3rd August 2023 • The HERALD • Page 53 v GROW YOUR BUSINESS WITH THE HERALD v Fred Hurst 023 8084 2191 or 07761 467217 • Grass Cutting • Garden Clearance • Hedge Cutting • Fallen Trees Cleared • Mini Digger Hire with Operator • Property Clearance • Small Demolition • Tractor Flail Cutting FULLY INSURED v FREE QUOTATIONS ✿ DOWN THE GARDEN PATH ✿ RYAN FENCING Quality Fencing & Gates 07769 706516 • 023 8084 1203 www.ryan-fencing.co.uk • Find us on Facebook Smithwood Landscaping Professional Gardening & Landscaping • Garden Redesign • Astro Turf • Trees & Shrubs Carefully Pruned • Rockeries Designed • Fencing • Ground Cover • Seasonal Tidy Ups No Job Too Small as I am a Local Gardener Any advice over the phone is freely given Contact Gary (Master Landscaper) 07707 433194 BLACKFIELD GARDENING CLUB by Patricia Hedley-Goddard Lawrence Before and After Arabia On 13th June, Black eld Gardening Club met at e Good Shepherd Church, in Holbury, to listen to Colin van Ge n give a presentation on ‘Lawrence, Before and A er Arabia.’ e attendance was excellent with several visitors as well as club members listening attentively to Colin’s superb presentation. Lawrence’s family were originally from Ireland, but by the time ‘Lawrence’ was born in 1888, they were living in Wales. ‘Lawrence’ was the second son and was christened into the Catholic Church as omas Edward Lawrence. He was known as ‘Ned’ during his younger years. He had 5 brothers and 4 sisters. He did not have a happy childhood. e family moved around a lot because his father was a ‘supply teacher’ and at the end of one engagement, they had to move to the next school needing his expertise. Also, his parents were not married, and in that Era this was not socially acceptable. e family would have been seen as less than respectable. Sadly, his mother was a religious zealot and she used young ‘Lawrence’ as the whipping boy for any misdemeanours caused by his brothers and sisters. She used to make him strip to the waist, and whip him. Despite this cruelty Lawrence did well at his studies and is recorded as being a student at Jesus College in Oxford in 1907. In 1908 he cycled round France, photographing Castles. Later in his life he became renowned for his love of the Brough Motorbike, and owned 7 throughout his life. Lawrence was not a physically imposing man, measuring only 5 4inches in height, being of slight build and he looked very young for his age. He was totally fascinated by the East and its culture. For his history thesis at Oxford he decided that he would study the Crusader Castles in Syria and Palestine. He travelled alone, on foot and in the middle of the blistering heat of a Syrian summer. It was a 1,200 mile walk that carried him into villages where the locals had never seen a European. Aged 21, he visited Palestine and the Crusader Castles and became involved in the Arab culture, but by 1910 he was back at Jesus College again. In 1911 he joined the British Museum archaeological expedition in Carchemish headed by D.G.Hogarth. He was junior assistant on the dig. He was a member for four seasons of expeditions in Syria. He became very interested in the way the local people lived and befriended them. He also learnt to speak Arabic uently. On 21st October 1914, at the commencement of WW1 he joined the army and was posted to the intelligence department in Cairo where he worked as a clandestine spy for Lord Kitchener. His knowledge of the Arab culture and way of thinking was invaluable to the War O ce. He eventually gained the rank of Colonial during While based in Hythe, Hampshire, he lived in Myrtle Cottage, 2 Shore Road. ere is a blue plaque on the front wall of the cottage. He had many years before, promoted the possibilities of aerial photography, and at the time of air ships he had suggested that they would be the ideal vessel in which to have photographed and mapped out the unknown areas of the Arabian dessert. Lawrence was WWI but he made quite clear that he did not want a desk job or a political role. Lawrence was awarded a knighthood but he refused it. However, this upset King George V so much that Lawrence eventually accepted it to please the King. On his way home from the investiture crossing Westminster Bridge, he threw his award into the river ames. A er WWI he le the army and tried to join the RAF incognito. Unfortunately someone told the press so his cover was blown. Lawrence enlisted in the Tank Corps in 1923 as Private T.E.Shaw until he was transferred to the RAF in 1925. He had been refused entry twice by the RAF but eventually was accepted and he enlisted on a photography course which was a favourite hobby of his. In 1925 he was based at West Drayton then posted to Cranwell. ere he became an aircra handler dealing with Bristol Fighters. He was always getting into trouble. He was supposed to be billeted with the ‘lads’ but he rented a room o base to be able to continue his writing of the 7 Pillars of Wisdom. He lost the rst manuscript of this book on a train in Reading but re-wrote it. He also wrote several other books. In 1929 he became a Schneider Trophy advisor, taking aerial photos and mapping out the course. never BASED at Calshot. He was SECONDED to Calshot and Hythe. From 1932 to 1934 he was a Consultant on Powerboats. He was interested in the role they could play in saving lives with their speed and agility. In 1935 he was o cially recognised for bringing change to the RAF in air, sea and land. A er serving 12 years in the RAF he retired to live in ‘Clouds Hill’ cottage which he had originally purchased several years before. Sadly, in May 1935 he had a motorcycle crash which resulted in a severely fractured skull, and he died 6 days later on 19th May not having recovered consciousness. He had a simple no fuss funeral and was laid to rest in the Parish Church of Moreton. omas Edward Lawrence CB DSO was an archaeologist, army o cer, writer, and diplomat. Winston Churchill said ‘I deem him one of the greatest beings alive in our time. I do not see his like elsewhere. I fear whatever our need we shall never see his like again’. is is a very brief precis of the presentation given to the Black eld Gardening Club by Colin. If you are interested in learning more, Social Media has an enormous amount of information on him, some fact and some conjecture!!!! Lawrence of Arabia
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