of the Gothic. First Church thus has to be regarded as his masterpiece. His classical works, though often competently and skillfully executed, were mostly confined to smaller public buildings. He never had the opportunity to refine and hone his classical ideas, and therefore these never had the opportunity to make the same impact as his Gothic works. Much of Lawson's work is either demolished or much altered. Two of his timber Gothic churches survive at Kakanui (1870) and East Gore (1881). The designs still standing (which include all of the works described in detail above) have ensured that Lawson's reputation has fully recovered from the condemnation he received following the Seacliff enquiry. Today, Lawson is lauded as the architect of some of New Zealand's finest historic buildings. The Otago Branch of the New Zealand Historic Places Trust has inaugurated a memorial lecture programme, the RA Lawson Lecture, which is presented in Dunedin annually by an eminent local or overseas speaker. NZHPT Otago Branch Archives, Dunedin. Personal life Sometime from 1861 onwards Lawson was introduced to Jessie Sinclair Hepburn. Jessie had been born on 1 July 1843 at Kirkcaldy, Fife in Scotland to Rachel and George Hepburn. She had emigrated in 1850 to Otago with her parents and siblings on the Poictiers. They were married on 15 November 1864 at her father's property at Wakari. The service was conducted by the Rev. David M. Stuart, a former pupil at Lawson's Abdie Parish School in Scotland. From 1864 onwards the couple lived in a house on Bellevue Street in Roslyn, Dunedin that Lawson had designed. From Lawson's point of view, this was a good marriage. His father-in-law, George Hepburn, was at the time the second session clerk of First Church, as well as a successful business man and politician with excellent credentials in early Dunedin. Throughout his life Lawson remained a devout Presbyterian, becoming an elder and session clerk of First Church like his father-in-law. He was also closely involved in the Sunday school movement. The couple had the following children: Rachel Ida (15 March 1866 - 25 July 1956). James Newburgh (31 January 1868 - 20 October 1957). Margaret Lillian (31 August 1869 - 16 August 1926). Jessie Lawson (9 July 1871- 20 August 1878). Works by Lawson Lawson designed an estimated 46 church buildings, 21 banks, 134 houses, 16 school buildings, 13 hotels, 15 civic and institutional buildings, and 120