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Here is what's happening in Lawrenceville.
Posted: 9/1/2010 LAWRENCEVILLE HISTORICAL SOCIETY'S 2010 LECTURE SERIES The Lawrenceville Historical Society Lecture Series has gained such a fine reputation that more and more organizations contact us for help in getting speakers for them. You too can see what the excitement is about.
It's free and it's happening at Canterbury Place, McVay Auditorium (1st Floor), 310 Fisk Street, Lawrenceville. Starting time for all presentations is 7:00 p.m. For more information e-mail us at info@LHS15201.org.
October 21 Forbes Field Stories
Dan Bonk and Len Martin will give a history of the park and tell many of the best stories.
* This is our Election month for the LHS, so we encourage members to come and vote the next year’s board members.
November 18 American Names
John Webber will give the meaning, ethnicity, and history of the surnames of famous people from Pittsburgh and Lawrenceville.
During the War of 1812, Lawrence commanded the U.S.S. Hornet,
which captured the H.M.S. Peacock, and was promoted to Captain as a result. On
June 1, 1813, commanding a new and untrained crew on the 49-gun frigate U.S.S.
Chesapeake off Boston, Lawrence accepted a challenge from Philip Bowes Vere
Broke, captain of the 38-gun H.M.S. Shannon. Four years Lawrence's senior, Broke
had commanded the Shannon for six years, and had the best trained crew in the
Royal Navy.
In less than 15 minutes, Lawrence's crew was overwhelmed.
Mortally wounded, Lawrence shouted, "Tell the men to fire faster and not to give
up the ship; fight her till she sinks!" True to his words, every officer in the
Chesapeake's chain of command fought until he was either killed or wounded. Even
so, the battle was lost in under an hour, the Chesapeake was captured, and
Lawrence died four days later, leaving his wife and a daughter.
