{{short description|Scottish rugby union Player and international referee}} {{Full citations needed|date=April 2020}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox rugby biography | name = Alfred Lawrie | image = | caption = | birth_name = Alfred Ainslie Lawrie | nickname = | birth_date = {{Birth date |1882|10|25|df=y}} | birth_place = Edinburgh, Scotland | death_date = {{Death date and age |1942|05|2|1882|10|25|df=y}} | death_place = North Berwick, Scotland | height = | weight = | ru_position = Wing | amatyears1 = 1903–05 | amatyears2 = 1905– | amatteam1 = Oxford University | amatteam2 = Edinburgh Wanderers | ru_amclubcaps = | ru_amclubpoints = | ru_amupdate = | provinceyears1 = – | province1 = | provinceapps1 = | provincepoints1 = | repteam1 = | repyears1 = | repcaps1 = | reppoints1 = | ru_ntupdate = | coachteams1 = | coachyears1 = | ru_coachupdate = | refereeyears1 = 1923 | refereeyears2 = 1926 | refereeyears3 = 1926 | refereecomps1 = Scottish Districts | refereecomps2 = Five Nations Championship | refereecomps3 = Melrose Sevens | refereeapps1 = | ru_refereeupdate = | other = | occupation = | spouse = | children = | relatives = Charles Lawrie, son | school = Fettes College | university = Trinity College, Oxford | website = | module2 = {{Infobox officeholder | embed = yes | office = President of the Scottish Rugby Union | term_start = 1936 | term_end = 1938 | predecessor = William Patrick Scott | successor = William Halliday Welsh | prior_term = | order = 57th }} }} '''Alfred Lawrie''' (1882–1942) was a Scottish rugby union player and an international referee. He became the 57th President of the Scottish Rugby Union.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espnscrum.com/scotland/rugby/player/3071.html|title=Alfred Ainslie Lawrie|website=ESPN scrum}}</ref>
==Rugby Union career==
===Amateur career===
He was educated at Fettes College and Oxford University. At Oxford's Trinity College he played for the rugby union team Oxford University,<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000564/19420504/017/0002|title=|via=British Newspaper Archive}}</ref> receiving his first 'blue' on 1903.<ref name="auto1">{{cite web|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000452/19420509/089/0003|title=|via=British Newspaper Archive}}</ref>
On his return to Scotland, Lawrie played for Edinburgh Wanderers.<ref name="auto1"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000452/19051222/073/0007|title=|via=British Newspaper Archive}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000452/19030103/065/0003|title=|via=British Newspaper Archive}}</ref>
===Referee career===
He refereed the Scotland Probables versus Scotland Possibles match in December 1923.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000469/19231227/049/0007|title=|via=British Newspaper Archive}}</ref>
He became an international referee. He refereed the Ireland versus France match in the Five Nations Championship of 1926.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espnscrum.com/scrum/rugby/match/19309.html|title=Ireland v France|website=ESPN scrum}}</ref>
Lawrie refereed in the 1926 Melrose Sevens.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002783/19260416/085/0004|title=|via=British Newspaper Archive}}</ref>
===Administrative career===
He was a committee member of the SRU before becoming President.<ref name="auto"/>
He was the 57th President of the Scottish Rugby Union, in post from 1936 to 1938.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/sru-files/files/SR_RR1819_digital.pdf |title=Scottish Rugby Record |publisher=s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com |date= |accessdate=2020-04-01 |archive-date=16 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191116210013/https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/sru-files/files/SR_RR1819_digital.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>
His time as President was notable as he gave comprehensive statements to the Press after General Meetings of the SRU. This was reported as a 'revolutionary break with tradition' for the SRU.<ref name="auto1"/>
==Cricket career==
He played cricket both for Fettes College and Trinity College in Oxford.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://stats.edgbaston.com/Archive/Players/951/951442/951442.html|title=The Home of CricketArchive|website=stats.edgbaston.com}}{{Dead link|date=February 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref>
==Stockbroking and business career==
He was a senior partner in the firm Lawrie & Ker of Edinburgh.<ref name="auto"/> In 1925, he became a member of the Edinburgh Stock Exchange Committee; in 1931 he was elected its chairman.<ref name="auto2">{{cite web|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000540/19420504/080/0004|title=|via=British Newspaper Archive}}</ref>
He held many directorships of various companies:- the first, second and third Edinburgh Investment Trusts; Murrayfield Ice Rink and Sports Stadium; Oregon Mortgage Company; Realisation and Debenture Corporation of Scotland; the Scottish Insurance Corporation; and the Scottish Reversionary Company.<ref name="auto2"/>
He was the Chairman of Rest Hotels; and the St. Andrews Trust.<ref name="auto2"/>
He was a Vice-President of the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce until 10 days before his death, when he retired due to ill-health.<ref name="auto2"/>
==Other interests==
He wrote a register of Fettes College in 1923; 'The Fettes College Register 1870–1922'.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.authorandbookinfo.com/cgi-bin/auth.pl?L001189|title=Author – Alfred Ainslie LAWRIE|website=www.authorandbookinfo.com}}</ref> He was a Governor of the Fettes Trust.<ref name="auto2"/> He refereed the College Sports Day in 1922.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000540/19220403/210/0004|title=|via=British Newspaper Archive}}</ref>
During the Second World War he joined the Special Constabulary. He also did philanthropic work with the Church of Scotland for the Hut and Canteen work for H.M. armed forces; and was an elder of St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000540/19420506/115/0004|title=|via=British Newspaper Archive}}</ref><ref name="auto2"/>
He was a Chairman of the West Edinburgh Unionist Association.<ref name="auto2"/>
He was also a Justice of the Peace for Edinburgh City Council.<ref name="auto2"/>
==Death==
Lawrie died on 2 May 1942 at his home in North Berwick.<ref name="auto"/> He was cremated on 5 May 1942.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.deceasedonline.com/servlet/GSDOSearch?lang=E&fileid=2283785&AcctView=Login&SrchView=Basic&DetsView=Summary|title=Alfred Ainslie Laurie|website=www.deceasedonline.com}}</ref>
He died in the same weekend as Patrick Munro. Munro had a similar career to Lawrie: both went to Oxford University and played for the Oxford University rugby union side, both breaking through in 1903; both became Presidents of the Scottish Rugby Union; and both were prominent Unionists.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000452/19420504/049/0002|title=|via=British Newspaper Archive}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lawrie, Alfred}} Category:1882 births Category:1942 deaths Category:Scottish rugby union players Category:Presidents of the Scottish Rugby Union Category:Edinburgh Wanderers players Category:Oxford University RFC players Category:Scottish Districts referees Category:Scottish rugby union referees Category:Rugby union players from Edinburgh Category:People educated at Fettes College