GEORGE Laverton MBE, great-grandnephew of the well-known Westbury philanthropist and benefactor Abraham Laverton, died in April at the grand age of 100.
A cremation service was held on Tuesday 31st May in Taunton Deane, Somerset and was well attended by family and loved ones. George leaves behind his wife Vanessa, as well as three sons, two step-daughters, seven grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
George was awarded an MBE in 2004 for services to the Rufiji Leprosy Trust – a charity that he helped set up, which seeks to support families affected by leprosy in a small village in Tanzania.
George’s family say, “He was a naturalist with a love of fly fishing, cricket, gardening, bird watching and all things outdoors. He is a true gentleman of the old school whose war record, career with Lloyds Bank and charity work remain a testament to his character.
“When asked ‘how are you’ he always said, ‘how do I look’ and as he has always looked so well, that’s all you need to know!”
Laverton is a name that is synonymous with Westbury, with Abraham Laverton often described as Westbury’s greatest ever benefactor for his role in creating the Laverton Institute – which provided a place for educational, religious, philanthropic, scientific, and political purposes for the people of Westbury.
George’s grandfather, WH Laverton, was a philanthropist and also gave back to the local community as in 1888, he gifted Westbury a public bathhouse. The bathhouse featured individual baths for washing and a large swimming pool. The same swimming pool is used today and is one of England’s last remaining Victorian pools.
Work with the Rufiji Leprosy Trust and MBE
George continued his family’s philanthropic nature when he helped set up the Rufiji Leprosy Trust. When George was living in Kent, he got to know the Rev Canon Lord Pilkington, who had been a missionary in Tanzania in a leprosy colony.
In 1983, George and Lord Pilkington (alongside other founding members) set up the Rufuji Leprosy Trust which seeks to support families affected by leprosy in the Tanzanian village. George was the financial trustee, serving for 30 years, and he was awarded an MBE for his role and for helping raise over £1.25million for the Trust.
Involvement in WW2
After leaving school in April 1939, George spent two years waiting for his call up before joining the Royal Navy in June 1941 just before his 20th birthday. He served in the eastern Mediterranean on convoy operations in 1942 while based at Alexandra and Tobruk in HMS Dulverton, a Type II Hunt-class destroyer.
At the start of 1944 he reported to Southampton for more training in the Solent in anticipation of the D Day landings. On 6th June his unit landed the Hampshire regiment at Le Hamel, Normandy. This was the largest seaborne invasion in history, for which he was awarded the Croix de Guerre, France’s highest military honour.
He finished the war returning lend lease ships across the Atlantic back to USA. He continued in the Royal Navy as a member of the RNVR, receiving short spells of training until 1971 when he retired as Lt Commander.
