Transcript

of

William Lavers [Obituary]

Trans. Devon Assoc., vol. XXVII, (1895), pp. 37-38.

by

Rev. W. Harpley

Prepared by Michael Steer

The obituary was read at the Association’s August 1895 Okehampton meeting. Mr Lavers was an impressively generous philanthropist. A notice appearing in The London Gazette for June 26, 1908 indicated that “all creditors and other persons having any claims or demands upon or against the estate of William Lavers, late of Upton Leigh, Torquay, in the County of Devon, Gentleman, deceased (who died-on the 15th day of September, 1894, and whose will was proved by George Ledgard Bristow, William Thomas Shaw, John Williams Matthews, and William Harrison, the executors therein named, on the 10th day of November, 1894, in the Principal Probate Registry of Her late Majesty's High Court of Justice), are hereby required to send in the particulars of their claims and demands to BRISTOWS, COOKE, and CARPMAEL, 1, Copthall-buildings, London, E.G., Solicitors. The obituary, from a copy of a rare and much sought-after journal can be downloaded from the Internet Archive. Google has sponsored the digitisation of books from several libraries. These books, on which copyright has expired, are available for free educational and research use, both as individual books and as full collections to aid researchers.

The obituary was read at the Association’s August 1895 Okehampton meeting. Mr Lavers was an impressively generous philanthropist. A notice appearing in The London Gazette for June 26, 1908 indicated that “all creditors and other persons having any claims or demands upon or against the estate of William Lavers, late of Upton Leigh, Torquay, in the County of Devon, Gentleman, deceased (who died-on the 15th day of September, 1894, and whose will was proved by George Ledgard Bristow, William Thomas Shaw, John Williams Matthews, and William Harrison, the executors therein named, on the 10th day of November, 1894, in the Principal Probate Registry of Her late Majesty's High Court of Justice), are hereby required to send in the particulars of their claims and demands to BRISTOWS, COOKE, and CARPMAEL, 1, Copthall-buildings, London, E.G., Solicitors. The obituary, from a copy of a rare and much sought-after journal can be downloaded from the Internet Archive. Google has sponsored the digitisation of books from several libraries. These books, on which copyright has expired, are available for free educational and research use, both as individual books and as full collections to aid researchers.

William Lavers was born at Kingsbridge, whence, in his youth, he removed to Plymouth, where he was articled to an eminent firm of solicitors, now known as Messrs. Rooker, Matthews, Harrison, and Matthews, of Frankfort-street. He eariy practised with much success as an advocate; but in 1869 his health failed him, and for three years he devoted himself to travelling, both in Great Britain and upon the Continent. Returning home he was advised to remove to Torquay, where he purchased the charming residence known 88 Upton Leigh, in Teignmouth Road. There he settled down with his wife and sister, the former of whom died in June last year. Shortly afterwards Mr. Lavers enlarged the grounds of his residence to their present area - eleven acres, and devoted himself to the practice of floriculture, of which he became very fond. His principal hobby was the cultivation of orchids, of which he had a very extensive and valuable collection, and many of which he annually displayed at the exhibitions of the Torquay Horticultural Society. Mr. Lavers was very philanthropic; among many other objects, the Torbay Hospital awoke his earliest and keenest interest. In 1872 he subscribed £1000 for the construction of the North wing, this handsome gift at first being bestowed anonymously; the name of the donor was subsequently revealed by the merest accident. Mr. Lavers was elected a Vice-President and a life governor of the Hospital. Besides being an annual subscriber, he made handsome donations to the funds at various intervals. Another charitable work with which Mr. Lavers became closely identified, was the Erith House Institution for invalid ladies, of which he acted as joint Hon. Secretary up to the time of his death. Of the Western Hospital for Consumption he was also a generous supporter. To satisfy the religious needs of the inhabitants of Lower Upton, about the end of 1890 or beginning of 1891, he intimated his intention of providing a site for the erection of a mission house, since known as S. James', and towards its cost of £800 he subscribed £520, to which he afterwards added £60 more; and, with his friend, the Rev. Preb. Wolfe, he bore the cost of the organ.

On Nov. 12th, 1873, Mr. Lavers was elected a member of the Torquay Natural History Society. He was a member of the Committee in 1876, from 1878 to 1881, from 1885 to 1888, and from 1890 to 1894. He was Vice-President in 1877, President from 1881 to 1883, and a Vice-President again in 1884. His periodical lectures were much appre- ciated. As President of the Torquay District Gardeners' Association he delivered two instructive lectures - one upon orchids, and the other upon the peculiarities of seed distribu- tion. He became a member of this Association in 1873.

Mr. Lavers never took an active part in the government of Torquay; not until the Watershed controversy, at the beginning of 1894, was he known to appear upon the plat- form to speak upon a town question. The Town Council's scheme for the purchase of the Watershed found in him one of its strongest foes. He spoke much, and well, against the proposal, and there is no doubt that the stand he took in opposition did much to overthrow it.

The malady from which he suffered increased in severity, and after May, 1894, he was almost entirely confined to his residence. He maintained, however, his genial disposition to the last, and, as long as he was able, he continued to delight in escorting his many visitors to Upton Leigh around his beautiful grounds and through his glass houses. The end came at last, after much patiently-borne suffering, on Saturday, September 15th, 1894.