Lawrence Peter David 'Lawrie' Salter (16 Jan 1929 - 23 Jan 2024)

In loving memory of Lawrence Peter David 'Lawrie' Salter MVO who sadly passed away on 23rd January 2024.

Dad was born on 16th January 1929 and brought up in Harrow Wealdstone. He was 10 when the war broke out and as children we loved to hear his animated stories of hiding under the stairs during air raids. He left school at 14 and joined James Purdey and Sons, running errands for the men in the factory and making his tools in preparation for his apprenticeship. Having completed his apprenticeship he worked as an actioner at Purdeys and became Managing Director in 1970. He was Master of the Worshipful Company of Gunmakers in 1976 and 1986 and was very proud to be awarded an MVO in 1994.
By the time he was Managing Director at Purdeys he had moved to Hemel Hempstead where he met his wife Val. They had three daughters and he often commented how proud he was to be a father. In his spare time Dad loved to sail at Aldenham Sailing Club at Elstree, he regularly fixed our cars, solved technical problems and mended all manner of breakages. He was a lifelong supporter of Watford Football Club, following the family tradition. When he retired he took up pottery and dug a vegetable patch in the garden like his father before him.
In the last few years of his life Dad battled with Alzheimer’s and sadly lost that battle a week after his 95th birthday. Lawrie was a wonderful father and grandfather and will be much missed.