Papers and personal effects of Lieutenant Commander Thomas Turnbull Laurenson DSC RNR JP (1876-1963) and other family members

Includes official papers, lecture notes, correspondence and various printed material. Also a notebook belonging to Lieutenant Commander Thomas Turnbull Laurenson's father, Captain John Turnbull Laurenson and dictated accounts of incidences recorded by donor (Joan Davidson, Lieutenant Commander Thomas Turnbull Laurenson's daughter).


Related materials: Collection includes a Chinese flag remnant (fragile textile), stored at a separate offsite facilty (LAUR/4). Please contact archive staff for more information about ordering from this item.

Administrative / biographical background
Lieutenant Commander Thomas Turnbull Laurenson, who was born in Cardiff in 1876, began his career at sea with an apprenticeship in the MITREDALE. He went to China in 1902 as a junior officer with the China Navigation Company, becoming a master, before leaving to join the pilot service, becoming one of the founders of the Woosung Pilots' Association in Shanghai. In 1911, during the Xinhai Revolution (also known as 1911 Revolution or Hsinhai Revolution), he took the relief cruiser CHUENTAIO to Hankow [Hankou]. Upon the outbreak of the First World War, Laurenson entered the Royal Navy and was gazetted sub-lieutenant in Dec 1914, being commissioned to the VERNON. He was promoted to lieutenant-in-command in Jun 1915 and appointed leader of the 47th Division of Patrols. In 1917 he was decorated by King George V at Buckingham Palace with the Distinguished Serivce Cross (DSC) for his services rendered in the North Sea. In May 1918 he was in command of the 1st Division Cromarty Minesweepers and in Jun 1919 he was promoted to acting-lieutenant-commander for special meritorious service during the War. He returned to Hong Kong in 1919 and became secretary of the China Officers' Guild which represented the British Merchant Navy to the Hong Kong Government. In 1931 he was appointed to the magistracy in Hong Kong, and for twelve years he was vice-chairman of the Merchant Navy Officers' Federation. He died in 1963.