Lawrence, Sir Henry

views updated May 18 2018

Lawrence, Sir Henry (1806–57). Soldier. Henry Lawrence was the elder brother of John Lawrence, later viceroy of India, and younger brother of General Sir George Lawrence. All three made their careers in India. Henry was commissioned in 1822 as a lieutenant in the Bengal artillery, took part in the expedition to Kabul in 1842 after the disastrous retreat, and fought in the Sikh War of 1846. He was knighted in 1848. From 1849 he administered the Punjab but resigned in 1853 after a disagreement with his brother John. He was moved to Oudh and was in Lucknow when the Indian mutiny broke out in May 1857. In June Lucknow fell to the mutineers and Lawrence was forced back to the residency. There he was struck by shell-fire and died after two days. His eldest son was given a baronetcy in his honour. The residency was relieved by Havelock in September 1857. Henry Lawrence, prematurely aged and with a hot temper, was respected as a man of honesty.

J. A. Cannon

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