David Benson Laughton was the only son
of William Muir Laughton 1893. In April
2009 we received the photograph package from John Ivan Laughton and
within that were 3 photos of David at various stages of his life:
David
Benson Laughton
(1920 - ) |
David
Benson Laughton
Wife Bea and First Born
Daughter Diane (1941) |
David
Benson Laughton
Daughter Diane
Wife Bea
Son David Bruce Laughton (1951) |
There was a package of material in the Paul
Laughton Collection of February 2009 on the Grandson of David
Laughton 1861 for David Laughton 1920. David 1920 was the son of William
Muir Laughton 1893. These papers are a package of letters and newspaper
articles for Consul
& Ambassador David Laughton, as he served in the Canadian
Foreign Service.
I have since also located is listing on
the web site for the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs which shows
his postings (click to view
postings):
Laughton, David Benson (Career)
Post Title Appointment Date Presentation of credentials Termination of
mission
COLOMBIA AE&P 1977/10/27 1977/12/01 1979/12/18
ECUADOR AE&P 1977/10/27 1978/01/09 1979/12/18
In the March 2009 package from John Ivan Laughton
there were additional cards and letters from David to Ivan, which are
noted as follows:
 | Unknown
Christmas Card:
From this card we know that David was married to
"Dee". I can only assume that is Deidre? On other files it
says "Bea" so that could be "Beatrice". Anyone
have an answer to that question?
|
| Letter
Pre-1983:
We know the letter is prior to 1983 as David suggests to John Ivan
that "get your Dad working on it!". John Addison
Corbett Laughton died on February 26, 1983 so this letter was prior
to that date. David had written a letter to Uncle Paul (Paul
Laughton 1923) so perhaps we can cross-check letters to find the
date.
|
| Letter
of March 14, 1983:
A letter to John Ivan Laughton, his wife Joan and his mother
Edith, as John Addison Corbett Laughton had recently passed in
February 1983. David and Dee are prepared to assist in the
transition, however David (as a Foreign Services Officer) is about
to head off to Mexico, Panama and Trinidad. It appears that at
this time David and Dee were living in British Columbia. They
will be meeting in Pittsburgh in April 1983 to meet David Richard
Laughton (assume this must be son of David Bruce Laughton 1951
and his wife Clair).
|
| Letter
of June 27, 1983:
Reference to John Ivan Laughton's daughter Kelli (or Keli) and a
wedding gift. From the letter I must assume that the marriage was in
1983. David's son Bruce has a child who is doing well. David
comments that he had not responded to Paul Laughton.
I wonder if they have met now that they are both in Ottawa.
|
| Letter
of February 9, 1997:
David is looking to John Ivan for assistance on the family
genealogy, as he is preparing a note for his grandchildren. He
questions if "grandad" (David Laughton 1864) was married
in 1897, as he has papers showing the marriage of his mother and
father in 1919 at age 26. David notes that if he was 29 in
1919 then he was born in 1895, two years before his parents
marriage. (My note: other papers
from Julia in January 1955 suggest his parents were born in 1891 if
they were celebrating their 63rd Anniversary in 954).
|
| Letter
of January 21, 1999:
David 1920 now has two Great-Grandchildren in California. David and
Dee are feeling the age and are thinking of downsizing the home.
|
| Letter
of April 18, 2003:
David apologizes for missing the opportunity to meet with John &
Joan.
|
| Letter
of December 2006:
David and Dee have moved to a retirement place in Ottawa. Initially
I was not sure of the date and now I notice they wish them well in
2007, so the card is December 2006. |
