The Honourable Ray Lawson of Oakville, Ontario, established The Lawson Foundation in 1956 as an extension of his personal philanthropy. The Foundation was incorporated to serve the people of Ontario, especially the communities of London and Oakville. The purpose of the Foundation was to better the human condition and quality of life and to enhance community development. Learn more about the Honourable Ray Lawson.

Frank Ray Lawson was born at home in London, Ontario in 1886 to Frank Edgar Lawson, a reporter, and Lorena Hodgins, a former teacher. In 1882, Ray’s father Frank, set up shop with Henry Jones, a compositor, and launched Lawson and Jones, a business making druggists’ labels, boxes, and cartons in London, a city with a growing population of 25,000.

As a young man, Ray became a salesman for his father. In 1909, Ray married Helen Newton and took her on a honeymoon to Europe, a trip he won for “most sales.” In 1911, while Ray was working as a salesman in Montreal and in the Maritimes, his father died suddenly at the age of 50. Ray returned to London to take over his father’s position and bought out the Jones family. In the course of his work, Ray’s chance meeting with a Director of Imperial Tobacco led to a lifelong friendship and firm business relationship. Lawson and Jones entered the profitable cigarette carton business. Over the years, Lawson and Jones grew and prospered and became associated with a British firm, Mardon Son and Hall owned by British American Tobacco.

With his business flourishing in the late 1930’s, Ray began to think of slowing down but the outbreak of World War II changed his mind. Ray responded to the Canadian war effort as a “dollar a year man,” becoming president of Federal Aviation, a crown corporation established in Montreal to manufacture aircraft. While in this position, he met and grew to admire Mackenzie King, Canada’s Prime Minister.

In 1946, Ray accepted an appointment as Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, a position he held until 1952. It was at this time that Ray and Helen moved from London to Oakville, Ontario. At the age of 67, the Honourable Ray and Helen Lawson moved to New York City where Ray served as Canadian Consul General from 1953-1955. The post war period was a time of increasing economic growth between the United States and Canada. When Ray turned 70 in 1956, he and Helen retired to Oakville where he continued as Chairman of the Board of Lawson and Jones.

One can only speculate what factors influenced Ray to establish The Lawson Foundation in 1956. Perhaps his age or the reality of a life-threatening disease, or his financial security motivated him. Certainly his life-long involvement helping others and his confidence in his son, Tom, to manage Lawson and Jones were influential factors. The Honourable Ray Lawson involved two of his five children in the Foundation as original Directors, his son, Tom and his daughter, Ruth Kindersley.

In 1972, Ray turned the management of the Foundation, with its asset base of two million dollars, over to Tom who moved its head office from Oakville to London, Ontario. Eight years later in 1980, the Honourable Ray Lawson died at the age of 94.

Ruth Lawson Kindersley, a widow of World War II, lived in Oakville with her two daughters, Barbara and Anne. She continued to be active with the Foundation suggesting funding for the Oakville area until her death in 1999.

Tom Lawson’s distinguished career in business and in community leadership included serving in World War II. After the war, he continued his love of Canada and the military tradition as Colonel of the Royal Canadian Regiment (RCR), all the while carrying on a heavy business responsibility as President of Lawson and Jones and then as Honorary Chairman of Lawson Mardon. Tom served as President of the Foundation until his death in 1991 and was an enthusiastic supporter of the London Community in many ways. He began to contribute personally to the Foundation in 1975 and encouraged his children and wife, Miggsie, to follow his example. After Tom’s death, Miggsie served as Honorary President of the Foundation until her death in May 2004. During her lifetime, Miggsie brought her special vitality to a variety of community activities. The estates of Tom and Miggsie contributed to the Foundation’s dramatic growth during 2004 – 2006. A bequest in Miggsie’s estate created a grant program for the London, Ontario area.