Historical records matching Paul de Laszlo
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About Paul de Laszlo
PAUL LEONARDO DE LASZLO
1906-1983
Written by Christopher de L. and Ann McIlwraith, son and daughter of Paul, c.1996
Paul Leonardo de Laszlo was born in Vienna on 6th January 1906, third son of Philip Alexius de László and his wife Lucy Madeline Guinness. His second Christian name was given to him in honour of the great artist Leonardo da Vinci. He was educated at Twyford School, near Winchester, Rugby (where he was well known for his debating skills) and Balliol College, Oxford. At Oxford he was a keen boxer, and very much involved in the O.U.D.S. After graduating from Oxford he taught history at Eton for a term, and was then asked to join the permanent staff. He declined the offer and spent a year (1927-1928) in New York working in the bank of Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc. While working in the bank he met A. Richard Stern and they became lifelong friends.
On his return from the U.S. he read for the Bar. He worked for the solicitors Gregory Rowcliffe in London. He was called to the Bar in 1929 and practised until the outbreak of the war.
In June 1933 he married Josephine Vavasour McConnell. They had three children, Christopher (1936), Ann (1938) and Jane (1942) and lived in Tite Street until the outbreak of the war when they moved to Southcote Lodge, Camberley.
During the war Paul served as a Lieutenant Commander R.N.V.R. He worked at Bletchley Park. He served in North Africa, inspected Naval Radio stations and worked in the special section of the admiralty. He was awarded an O.B.E. His friend, Freddie de Guingand (Montgomery’s Chief of Staff), was a frequent visitor. After the war he joined English Electric as personal assistant and legal advisor to the chairman, Sir George Nelson. He became a director of the company. He retired in 1969.
His interests included photography, cine-photography, woodwork, clocks and watches, and natural history. During his school days he knew Harry Abrahams and they shared a job collecting films to be developed. At the age of 14 he became a F.R.P.S. He took many of the photographs in John Ramsbottom’s book “Mushrooms and Toadstools”. A keen amateur conjurer, he was very skilled with his hands. During the war, when he was at home and had the time, he taught carpentry to his son Christopher and his contemporaries in his workshop. He enjoyed designing and building electrical gadgets. Visitors to Orchards, Godalming (where he moved in 1946) were fascinated by the movie screen which was hidden behind the panelling in the hall, and which would appear at the press of a button as the lights dimmed. He took a great interest in his family which included many cousins with whom he remained in touch until he died. He was referred to as “The Rock of the family”. He took great pleasure in his eight grandchildren.
He lived at Orchards until 1974 when he moved to Haslemere, Surrey. He died in December 1983, twenty two months after his wife Josephine.
Sir Alexander Glen K.B.E., D.S.C., in a letter of 1.6.89 said of Paul del Laszlo:
“...Trying to trace the threads of childhood to later life, Paul steady as a rock, yet much more versatile than his quiet ways might suggest, an excellent war in which he constantly underplayed his considerable work both at Bletchley and in the Admiralty, and once again afterwards went to the top in English Electric. With Paul everything seemed safe and secure, a very happy marriage, a mass of interests, and a quiet serenity. Five years older than Henry, why was one scarred and the other developed into such a fulfilled and full human being of great kindness and goodness.”
Photograph of Paul taken from photograph of portrait by his father Philip de Laszlo.
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Paul de Laszlo's Timeline
| 1906 |
1906
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Vienna
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| 1983 |
1983
Age 77
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England (United Kingdom)
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| ???? |