MEMORANDUM: THE LEACYP OF DAVIDD DALLAWRENCECE
Date: 19th April 2024
Subject: Obituary of David ‘ Spectacles’ Lawrence – former England cricketer.
Major Themes and Concepts:
This is a tribute to ‘Syd’ Lawrence, telling one extraordinary life and an extraordinary contribution. Being a pioneer, a crickey lover, and with the past-the-track, it had to work.
- An English cricket pioneer
David Sydney Lawrence also occupies a unique niche in English cricket as theso-calledd “first man born in Britain of a Black father and English mother to play for England”. That accomplishment made him a “trailblazer” and “inspiration,” especially “at a time when being black in the UK had so many trials and tribulations,” the Chelsea website said in an obituary.He wass part of the trend of black athletes in the 1980s, “who were playing at the very top, showing that we were massively talented “and “had tremendous resilience.”
Wholehearted Performer Lawrence was labelled a “monstrously wholehearted, frightfully fast bowlerr” who “wasn’t able to give anything less than he had” from over No1 of an innings up to the 30th over.
“Cut Short: And as good as he was, it all finished rather tragically i1992 whenen he just got this quite serious knee injury, which meant he missed quite a few more games for England than the five tests he played. - CommunityMinded CommunityMinded For the whole Community.
Time Lawrence is after a Post-Playing career, Lawrence has renounced Anti-Cricket! Laurence continued to be a prominent figure in the game in all respects after he had ceased playing ,crick,et only not directly, as President of Gloucestershire County Cricket Club.
Honoured and Engaged President: He was “really honoured to be named asthe president” and vowed todo “things a little bitdifferently”. And he made every effort notto be “a sort of committee room gin-and-tonic type of president,” he said, but rather to be “a very open, warm, encouraging and inclusive president.”
Community don’t mind him: Another thing Lawrence had “shoe-horned” were things like President’s Day at Gloucestershire was transformed into a “big fun-filled, welcoming event,” it was a “mini carnival” offering “food, drink, music, entertainment for all of the community.” He said he wanted to make the county ground in Bristol “that hub of thecommunity that everyone could feel welcome.”
“That’s been in him the whole way through”, even when that same man’s post-cricket career included “nightclub and restaurant owner” and “I always wanted everybody to have a good time and have good cheer together”.
- 11 Privatee, autobiographical and campaigning
Lawrence battled Motor Neuron Disease (MND) with great courage in his last years, and the tragedy of his illnessmotivatede others.
” In Autobiography’ In Sid’s Voice: In his autobiography, ‘In Sid’s Voice, cricketwriter Dean Wilson reveals: “It was a huge one. The book takes its title from the race against time to record Lawrence before the disease took away his voice. Wilson said she felt “absolutely special” and “just very privileged to have been able tobe there with him and hear thosestories and hear about hislife. Thebook’s promotion describes it as“his words hisvoice.”
A close friendship with Princess Diana: His closeness to Princess Diana is definitely one of the intriguing personal details from his autobiography. She had presented him with the Young Cricketer of the Year award in 1985 and was one of three club officials to attend her funeral in 1997. One funny story isthat Jack Russell had to tell Ruby Wax to shut her stupid mouth up during the funeral.
MBE for MND Campaigning:Lawrence, very fit tingforma he is campaigning theobviously awardedthe deserv pat chett mbe forhis efforts to tackle motor neurone disease. Oneof the sons of Pat Welsh MBE, the ex-Oman coach and director of cricket, he spent 25 years in the desert, where first time out he had played in the shadow of Blackie, one offour blacks in a Gloucestershire first team, Welsh senior made him an offer, the chairman, that he couldn’t refuse which was a three-year contract at £2,500, loads of demerit, but so popular was Welsh. Winning the award and becoming an honorary vice-chair of the ECB, had both been “really kind of proud moments for him and for his family”, only adding to his “legacy” as “Dave Lawrence MBE”. He was the “grandfather, father, husband,” and, “familyman” he so loved.
Conclusion:
Syd: The Extraordinary Life and Times of Syd Harmison By LES SCOTT David ‘Syd’ Lawrence was a giant of English cricket – a brilliant fast bowler, as well as being the first black-born Englishman to represent England – and also a selfless charity hero and tireless campaigner, as well. But Robbins’ inclusivity, courageous battle against MND and lasting legacy as “Dave Lawrence MBE”struggle to ensure his role as a giant who expanded beyond the boundary ropes.