Camden History

From 1915 the well-known actor-manger Gerald Lawrence lived at 11 Ornan Road Haverstock Hill. He had a distinguished stage career as a Shakespearian actor and had worked with Sir Henry Irving. The handsome Lawrence appeared in several silent films such as ‘Captain Nighthawk’ (1914).   11 Ornan Road, Haverstock Hill Gerald toured in South Africa and America and in 1906 he married the American actress Fay Davis. Their daughter Marjorie Fay Lawrence was born in 1908, when they were living at 15 Gardnor Mansions Church Row in Hampstead. Gerald and Fay in Romeo and Juliet, 1909 Marjorie wanted to try acting, so in June 1930 Gerald staged ‘The Merchant of Venice’ and ‘Hamlet’ at the Embassy Theater in Swiss Cottage and Marjorie received praise for her performances. On Sunday 6 July 1930 Gerald Lawrence and his family were at home in Ornan Road. About 11.00 in the morning his daughter received a telephone call from her husband Eardley Cottrell saying he was coming to the house.  About 1.30 Ge