William George Ronald Munell "Ran" Laurie
Few people will be aware that actor/comedian and general national treasure Hugh Laurie has Hethersett connections, albeit rather tenuous.
He was the youngest son of William George Ronald Munell "Ran" Laurie (1915-1998) and Patricia Laidlaw.
Ran Laurie was a physician, Olympic rowing champion and gold meallist who was born in Grantchester, Cambridgeshire, in 1915 of Scottish descent
Ran Laurie began his rowing career at school and continued rowing when he attended Selwyn College, Cambridge, in 1933.
Laurie rowed for Cambridge in the 1934, 1935 amd 1936 boat races, all of which were won by Cambridge. At the 1936 Olympics, he rowed as stroke in Great Britain's eight, the team eventually finishing in fourth place. Together, Laurie and Jack Wilson, rowing for the Leander Club, won the Silver Goblets ay Henley Royal Regatta in 1938.
After war interrupted their rowing careers, Laurie and Wilson returned to Henley in 1948, once again winning the Silver Goblets. This was followed a month later by a gold medal in the coxless pairs event at the 1948 London Olympics, rowing on their familiar Henley course.
Laurie was elected a steward of Henley Royal Regatta in 1951, and also served as a Henley umpire. He sat on Henley's management committee between 1975 and 1986.
Laurie joined the Sudan Political Service in 1936 and, in 1954, he qualified as a medical doctor, working for 30 years as a GP in Oxford. He also chaired the Oxford Committee f the Duke of Edinburgh's Award between 1959 and 1969, and the Oxford branch of Save the Children from 1986 to 1989.
Laurie was married to Patricia Laidlaw from 1944 until her deathin in 1989. They had two daughters and two sons, the youngest of whom is Hugh Laurie, who followed in his father's footsteps, rowing for Selwyn College and Cambridge University.
In 1990, Ran Laurie married Mrs Evaline Mary Arbuthnot, née Morgan, in 1990 and this could have been in Hethersett. Laurie died of Parkinson's Disease in 1998 at the age of 83 whilst living in Hethersett. I have yet to trace definitively how he came to live in Hethersett or whether Hugh Laurie spent any time here. Would be delighted to hear from anyone with any information.
He was the youngest son of William George Ronald Munell "Ran" Laurie (1915-1998) and Patricia Laidlaw.
Ran Laurie was a physician, Olympic rowing champion and gold meallist who was born in Grantchester, Cambridgeshire, in 1915 of Scottish descent
Ran Laurie began his rowing career at school and continued rowing when he attended Selwyn College, Cambridge, in 1933.
Laurie rowed for Cambridge in the 1934, 1935 amd 1936 boat races, all of which were won by Cambridge. At the 1936 Olympics, he rowed as stroke in Great Britain's eight, the team eventually finishing in fourth place. Together, Laurie and Jack Wilson, rowing for the Leander Club, won the Silver Goblets ay Henley Royal Regatta in 1938.
After war interrupted their rowing careers, Laurie and Wilson returned to Henley in 1948, once again winning the Silver Goblets. This was followed a month later by a gold medal in the coxless pairs event at the 1948 London Olympics, rowing on their familiar Henley course.
Laurie was elected a steward of Henley Royal Regatta in 1951, and also served as a Henley umpire. He sat on Henley's management committee between 1975 and 1986.
Laurie joined the Sudan Political Service in 1936 and, in 1954, he qualified as a medical doctor, working for 30 years as a GP in Oxford. He also chaired the Oxford Committee f the Duke of Edinburgh's Award between 1959 and 1969, and the Oxford branch of Save the Children from 1986 to 1989.
Laurie was married to Patricia Laidlaw from 1944 until her deathin in 1989. They had two daughters and two sons, the youngest of whom is Hugh Laurie, who followed in his father's footsteps, rowing for Selwyn College and Cambridge University.
In 1990, Ran Laurie married Mrs Evaline Mary Arbuthnot, née Morgan, in 1990 and this could have been in Hethersett. Laurie died of Parkinson's Disease in 1998 at the age of 83 whilst living in Hethersett. I have yet to trace definitively how he came to live in Hethersett or whether Hugh Laurie spent any time here. Would be delighted to hear from anyone with any information.