A SPECIAL birthday party took place at Dingles Steam Village at Lifton earlier this month. The day marked the 70th birthday of Peter Lawrence and celebrated his family?s links to one of the Fairground Heritage Trust?s prized exhibits ? the Lawrence Bioscope wagon. Peter?s grandfather was Edwin Lawrence of Plymouth, who travelled far and wide with his family from 1897 to 1910, and was an important pioneer of the Bioscope Show, showing moving pictures. The wagon, believed to be the only surviving example, formed part of the impressive show front. As well as being part of the show, the wagon was a cosy, if cramped, home to Peter?s grandparents. Edwin Lawrence?s father Morris, along with eight others, had been killed in an explosion in King Street, Plymouth on March 10 1863. They had been illicitly manufacturing fireworks at the house. Following the tragedy the family was left destitute. The surving members, led by Edwin, initially toured the West with a portable theatre and marionette show. In 1897 they exploited the innovation of moving pictures, packing away the puppets and leaving their native Plymouth and travelling the whole country with Dr Lawrence?s Cinematograph. They continued touring until 1910, when the permanent cinema took over from bioscopes. Both this show and the earlier marionettes appeared at Tavistock Goose Fair. An accident on the road destroyed most of the road train, but somehow the right hand wagon survived. Show wagons were generally abandoned and lost, but this one is said to have been used to house farm labourers and was rescued from a field by the Lincolnshire Vintage Vehicle Trust. At the party, a grandson of Edwin Lawrence gave an entertaining presentation using some of the Lawrence family?s magic lantern slides. The day was a great success with family members travelling from all over the country to attend.
