Between two worlds
The life of Lawrence Mcloughlin
Download for free by joining the mailing list to receive news and offers from peter mcloughlin. You can unsubscribe at any time. We’ll also ask you to confirm your location in order to help with future event planning. For more details see the privacy policy.
This service is provided by Music Glue. By submitting this form you agree to the terms and conditions
Lawrence was born in York after his parents emigrated from Ireland to escape the potatoe famine. The family moved to Bradford, but at some point Lawrence went to London to join the Metropolitan Police. During his service he suffered a head injury which meant he had to leave the Police. There must have been some significant brain injury which resulted in him being admitted to Hoxton asylum in London. From there he returned to Bradford. He worked in a mill in Bradford. He met Mary and they were married relatively late in life. Mary became pregnant and gave birth to a son (my dad, Austin) but Mary developed puerpal fever and died a few days after the birth. Lawrence had a breakdown, initially disappearing to London. He was returned to the West Yorkshire Lunatic asylum, subsequently High Royds hospital in Menston. He stayed there for the rest of his life. My dad was brought up by Mary's sister and her husband, Nicholas, as their own. Nicholas took Austin to visit Lawrence, who he knew as his uncle, every week. When he was around 16 Austin was told the truth about his parents. He continued to visit his dad until Lawrence died.