The Washington Ancestry, Charles A. Hoppin, 1932, Vol 1, p 56
Educated for the law, he was a bencher at Gray's Inn, London, but his uncle, Sir Thomas Kytson, was then making a success as a merchant in London, and the nephew became a wool merchant, locating before 1530 at the city of Northampton, in almost the exact center of England. There he was favorably located for the gathering of cloth that had been woven in the cottages of the country, and of wool from the sheep of the farmers. His uncle developed an export trade for these products.
He was chosen Mayor of the city of Northampton in 1532. Lawrence proceeded with the production of wool himself by leasing of the priory of St. Andrew an estate called Millefield, at Sulgrave, in Northamptonshire, upon which to raise sheep. Sulgrave Manor was the property of the priory of St. Andrew in the town of Northampton, and when the priory was dissolved by Henry VIII, Lawrence was bestowed the manor in 1539, by Henry VIII., thus proving he was one of the early Protestants of England. The rights in the manor of St. Andrews, also called Washington manor, in Sulgrave, included the right to hold a court baron.
He was reelected mayor of Northampton a second time in 1545. His coast of arms, argent, two bars gules, three mullets of the second in chief, still remains upon the wall of the guildhall of the city of Northampton, among the shields of the mayors.
During the last 20 years of his life he was a widower. Will written Octber 18, 1581 and proved February 11, 1584
