Lived in Scarborough and is described by G.B.Walsh in his article on Coleoptera in Natural History of the Scarborough District (c.1950, p.196) as ‘the first Scarborough Coleopterist, was contemporaneous with T.Wilkinson, the well-know Lepidopterist, and was said by E.C.Rye to be the first beetle-collector in Europe’. Exactly what Rye meant by this is unclear since Lawson was clearly not the first chronologically. He was presumably being complimentary, but the description is also surprising in this context given the wealth of more famous names. Equally puzzling is Walsh’s reference to Thomas Wilkinson who, as far as I know, was a well known Coleopterist and not a Lepidopterist. Lawson published four notes on Coleoptera in EMM: ‘Potaminus substriatus near Scarborough’ (5.1868, p.143), ‘Note on a capture of Nitidula flexuosa’ (8, 1872, p.248), ‘Note on a deformed antenna in Hydroporus obsoletus’ (8, 1872, pp.288-89) and ‘Note on swarms of Bruchus’ (9, 1873, p.217). Lawson sent specimens to Gorham (see Gorham diary in Birmingham Museum eg. 12 September 1871). He is also mentioned in Oliver Janson’s diary at Cambridge in connection with purchases by his father in February 1876. (MD 11/03)