Bruce Norman Laughton 1917

Bruce 1917

This Page Last Updated on Sunday April 26, 2009

BRUCE NORMAN LAUGHTON (April 17, 1917 - )

Bruce Norman Laughton, who appears to have always gone by the name "Norman" is one of the contributors to this Laughton Family Tree, from Arizona USA.

Norman was the 3rd son of Herbert Laughton 1877 and one of 9 children (7 boys and 2 girls).

Bruce Norman Laughton & Wife Phyllis

The following information was provided by "Cousin Bruce" in his e-mail of March 15, 2005. I had written to him regarding a project we were about to undertake in his fair state of Arizona.

Born Bruce Norman Laughton, on May 17, 1917, I am now the eldest living descendant of Herbert (No middle name) and Gladys Isabel Laughton, born October 9, 1893, my parents. My father is a son of Jerome and Jean (Smith) Laughton. Your Uncle, Paul McDonnell Laughton, told me that on his trip to Walkerton, Ontario, he found the grave of Jerome. Several people have informed me they could find no record of my father's (Herbert), birth in Walkerton, where my father said his parents told him he was born, on November 17,1887.

My line of business, was, Commercial, Industrial and Military building, as the onsite Boss (Superintendent). Built Schools for twenty of those years. After returning from Guadalcanal, during WW11, where I was in the U.S. Navy's First Special Construction Battalion, I secured a California General Contractor's License, built 23 houses, a bunch of Remodels, and after 3 years paid my bills and went to work for large Contractors, including a two year stint in Saudi Arabia twenty five years ago. I've been retired since '92.

The original contact from Cousin Norm came in his letter of May 24, 2004 which is provided in the following link:

Bruce Norman Laughton Introduction

There are a large number of letters from Norman Laughton to John Ivan Laughton, all of which arrived in the package from John Ivan in March 2009. We have not heard from Norman in some time. A few of these letters contain photographs, all of which are included with the documents:

From Bruce Norman to John Ivan on February 11, 1980

	Norman called his mother (Gladys Isabelle Laughton - nee Nichols) to read to her the letter from John Ivan Laughton
	confirms that Norman's sister Ida died in her early teens
	Herbert Laughton left Walkerton at 17 an spent 2 years in Toronto and Detroit before relocating to California
	Theory that the "Original Laughton's" came from Ireland (O'Laughlin's), all taking different versions of the "Laughton" name in the Orkney's
	details of the children and marriages of the family of Herbert Laughton are in the letter
	in 1980 there were 90 members of the Laughton Clan in California (including spouses)!
	Norman was in the Orkney's in 1979 where he met Archie Laughton and many others of the clan
	It was from Archie that Norman found out about John Ivan Laughton 1919 in British Columbia and Paul Laughton 1923 in Ottawa, Ontario

Bruce Norman contact information in California before Arizona

1113 E. Thackery Avenue, West Covina, California 91790

1984 Christmas Card to John Ivan Family

this is when Norman sent John Ivan the photograph of the homestead in Vigga

1986 Christmas Card to John Ivan Family with 1985 Photographs

	the letter was written in December 1986 and included a series of photographs from the 1985 Laughton Christmas Party - all those photographs are in this attachment
	some details of the health of the clan

1989 Christmas Note

Interesting note as it refers to the October 1989 California Earthquake and I was there (Richard Van Wyck Laughton 1952) along with my wife Olga - had we only known we were so close to Laughton Clan in California!

1993 (or post 1993) Christmas Card

some details on the other sons of Herbert Laughton living in California

1996 Christmas Card, including photograph of Norman and Phyllis

not sure if the photograph goes with that card, both are including in this link

1999 Bruce Norman letter to John Ivan about Orkney Links

	now in Sun City, Arizona
	refers to the plan for Norm and Ivan to get more details on Gilbert Laughton of Orkney
	copy of letter to James Laughton in Orkney from Norman Laughton

Christmas Card (date unknown) about Michael & Ryan Laughton in Texas

Lindy is now contributing to the Laughton Family Clan web site

There were a few other cards in the package, undated and contained no additional information.

A few additional photographs arrived of Bruce Norman Laughton in the April 2009 package from John Ivan Laughton. Norman and Ivan had been in regular contact, often about the family tree and the hunt to find out who was the real Gilbert Laughton who started our family line. At the time of the scans in April 2009 Norman was reported to be alive and well in Arizona at the grand age of 91 and still walking 5 miles per day. Sadly his wife Phyl had passed away (date unknown). These are the photographs from John Ivan's collection:

*Bruce Norman Laughton in 1999*	The back of this photograph says that this is Norm Laughton wearing the "Wee Bonnet", as Cousin Archie Laughton called it, when Norm purchased the cap in Kirkwall, Orkney in 1979. Norm Laughton was one of the "lucky" Laughton's to have visited the Orkney's and to have met some of the local "Laughton's". There are a number of letters related to Archie Laughton from the island.
Norm's wife Phyl Norm notes this was taken in December 1982 at a restaurant about a mile from their home.
The California Laughton Christmas Party a regular event Norm & Phyl front row left	The California Laughton Christmas Party a regular event Norm far right

I recall that there are other photographs of the Laughton Christmas parties in California that identify the other members of the Laughton Clan shown in these photographs.

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