▁Lawrence ▁of ▁Here ford ▁by ▁his ▁wife ▁Mary , ▁about ▁either ▁of ▁whom ▁little ▁is ▁known . ▁He ▁was ▁bapt ised ▁in ▁the ▁Church ▁of ▁All ▁Sain ts , ▁Here ford , ▁on ▁▁ 2 7 ▁February ▁ 1 6 9 7 - 9 8 . ▁Conc ern ing ▁his ▁possible ▁ancest ry , ▁in ▁ 1 6 6 0 ▁" James ▁Lawrence , ▁junior , ▁gentleman ", ▁was ▁admitted ▁to ▁the ▁freedom ▁of ▁the ▁City ▁of ▁Here ford , ▁and ▁became ▁Mayor ▁in ▁ 1 6 6 1 . ▁In ▁ 1 6 8 2 ▁" John ▁Lawrence , ▁ap othe c ary ", ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 7 0 2 ▁" John ▁Lawrence , ▁bre wer ", ▁were ▁admitted ▁to ▁the ▁freedom ▁of ▁the ▁city . ▁In ▁the ▁opinion ▁of ▁B idd ul ph ▁( 1 9 0 1 ) ▁one ▁of ▁these ▁last ▁" must , ▁almost ▁certainly , ▁have ▁been ▁the ▁father ▁of ▁String er ▁Lawrence ". ▁In ▁the ▁All ▁Sain ts ' ▁Church ▁bur ial ▁register ▁is ▁recorded ▁the ▁bur ial ▁of ▁a ▁certain ▁Michael ▁String er ▁on ▁ 1 3 ▁November ▁ 1 6 9 8 , ▁from ▁which ▁fact ▁B idd ul ph ▁( 1 9 0 1 ) ▁pres umed ▁that ▁String er ▁was ▁the ▁ma iden ▁name ▁of ▁his ▁mother . ▁ ▁Career ▁ ▁He ▁seems ▁to ▁have ▁entered ▁the ▁army ▁in ▁ 1 7 2 7 ▁and ▁served ▁in ▁Gib ral tar ▁and ▁Fland ers , ▁subsequently ▁taking ▁part ▁in ▁the ▁Battle ▁of