Member of the Ealing District Council in 1899.
Listed in the London diocese book, 1919 as a "Local Honorary Secretaries : — R.D. Baling — L. MATTHEY, Esq., Elmsholme, Grange Road, Ealing, W. 5." of "A Nursing Home for the Clergy, their Wives, Widows and Children".
Our colleague, Andrew Behan, states that Laurence Matthey was born on 9 May 1834, the seventh of the eight children of John Matthey (1785-1853) and Elizabeth Matthey née Green (1897-1873) in St Pancras, Middlesex (now Greater London). On 28 December 1834 he was baptised in St Pancras Church, Euston Road, London, NW1, where the baptismal register confirms his date of birth, that his family were living in Doughty Street, King's Cross and that his father was a gentleman.
His seven siblings were: Alphonso Matthey (1819-1916); Matilda Matthey (b.1821); Charles Matthey (1822-1884): George Matthey (1825-1913); Frances Matthey (b.1827): Maria Matthey (1829-1916) and Edward Grenville Matthey (1836-1918).
He is shown as aged 7 years in the 1841 census living in Upper Homerton, Hackney, Middlesex (now Greater London), with his parents and four siblings: Alphonso Matthey; George Matthey; Maria Matthey and Edward Granville Matthey. His father was described as a stock broker.
In the 1851 census he is shown as aged 16 years and an apprentice stockbroker's clerk, living in Chapel House, Homerton, with his parents and four siblings: Alphonso Matthey; Matilda Matthey; Charles Matthey, a stockbroker's clerk and Edward Granville Matthey, an apprentice stockbroker's clerk, together with two female domestic servants.
We have found two separate 1861 census forms showing Laurence Matthey. In one he was described as aged 26 years and a stockbroker's clerk, residing at 30 Blandford Terrace, Marylebone, Middlesex (now Greater London), with his widowed mother, who was shown as of independent property means and three siblings: Alphonso Matthey, a Church of England Curate at Ruswarp, Yorkshire; Maria Matthey and Charles Matthey, a stockbroker, together with a cook and two female domestic servants. In the second census form he was shown as aged 27 years and a stockbroker, travelling as a passenger aboard the S.S. Corinthian, a screw steamer from the Port of Liverpool, Lancashire (now Merseyside).
On 25 May 1869 he married Charlotte Woolnough (1842-1924) in Altrincham, Cheshire (now Greater Manchester), the daughter of Edward Woolnough, the Rector of Northenden, Cheshire (now Greater Manchester).
When the 1871 census was undertaken he was shown as aged 36 years and a Member of the London Stock Exchange living at 2 South View Villas, Grove Road, Ealing, Middlesex (now Greater London), with his wife, together with a cook and a housemaid.
He was described as aged 56 and a stock exchange dealer in the 1891 census, residing at Closholme, Grove Road, Ealing, with his wife and his brother-in-law, Lieutenant Colonel John Moor Woolnough (1826-1902) of the Derbyshire Militia, together with a cook, a parlourmaid and a housemaid.
He was living at 27 Grange Road, Ealing when the 1901 census was compiled and was shown as aged 66 years, a dealer in government funds on the London Stock Exchange, residing there with his wife and his brother-in-law, John Moor Woolnough, a retired colonel of militia, together with a cook, a parlourmaid and a housemaid.
When he completed his 1911 census return form he described himself as aged 76 years, a dealer on the consols market of the Stock Exchange, living a 12 roomed property at Elmsholme, 27 Grange Road, Ealing, with his wife, his widowed niece Frances Agnes Adney née Peel (1866-1954) who was a manageress of a restaurant, together with a cook, a parlourmaid and a housemaid. The census also confirms that he and his wife had been married 42 years and that they had no children.
His wife died on 15 April 1924, her death being registered in the 2nd quarter of 1924 in the Brentford Registration District, Middlesex (now Greater London). Probate records confirm her address to have been Elmsholme, Grange Road, Ealing and that when her husband was granted probate on 22 May 1924 her effects totalled £1,299-10s-2d.
Probate records confirm that he died, aged 94 years, on 27 April 1929 at Elmsholme, Grange Road, Ealing, and that when probate was granted jointly to his solicitor Ernest Henry Tucker and his widowed niece Frances Agnes Adney on 25 May 1929 his effects totalled £51,307-5s-1d.
He was buried on 1 May 1929 in Grave 221 in the Ground E Division of the Ealing and Old Brentford Cemetery (now called the South Ealing Cemetery), 28 Chilton Avenue, London, W5 4RU.
He is shown as 'L. MATTHEY' on the Walpole Park opening memorial plaque at Walpole Park, Mattock Lane, London, W5 5EQ.
