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Both Lawrence Waters and Ted Wilbraham were well-known hairdressers in Somercotes during the middle part of the 20th century, and for at least a part of their careers, used the same business premises on Nottingham Road. They were also related through marriage, as Lawrence Waters was Ted’s brother-in-law.

Lawrence Waters [1899-1981]

Lawrence Waters was born in Riddings on 6 August 1899. His father and mother were John Thomas and Ann Waters. His father was employed as a blacksmith’s striker, at the time working for James Oakes & Company at the Alfreton Iron Works, Pye Bridge. At the census return of 1911, the family lived on Newlands Road, Riddings and Lawrence had eight siblings, although he would eventually have nine.

On Lawrence’s eighteenth birthday on 6 August 1917 he enlisted in the army, but was not ‘called for service’ until 28 December that year, when he was posted to the 7th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters as Private, 98771. On 19 April 1919 he was transferred to the Guards Machine Gun Company, stationed at Pirbright Camp and was given a new Regimental number, becoming Guardsman 2437. His Attestation Papers indicate that he still lived with his family, who had moved to ‘Haddon Cottage’ Lower Somercotes, and that he was employed as a hairdresser. Lawrence was subsequently posted to France on 27 June 1918, returning to England on 15 March 1919, when he was ‘retained with the service’ under Army regulations until his final discharge to the reserve on 15 December that year. He was awarded the British War and Victory medals.

It can be assumed that Lawrence took up his previous occupation as a hairdresser on his return to Somercotes.

His father, John seems to have been an interesting character. Born in Sneinton, Nottingham in 1865 he moved at an early age to Sheffield, where he worked for the engineering firm of John Brown & Company in their armour plate department. He married at Grimesthorpe in 1884 before moving sometime after this to Riddings, where he took work in the boiler yard for James Oakes & Company. Around 1914 the family moved to Lower Somercotes, and around this time John also established a hairdressing business in the village. Exactly where the premises were located is not known, and whether of not John himself was a part time hairdresser cannot be confirmed, although his name appears in a Trade Directory of 1925 listed as such. Lawrence would almost certainly have served some form of apprenticeship working for this business. John Thomas Waters died in January 1935.

Lawrence Waters married Laura Mary Wilbraham at St. James’s Church, Riddings on 27 December 1927. Laura was Ted Wilbraham’s sister. At the time of this marriage Ted would only have been ten years old, but he probably started his hairdressing apprenticeship with Lawrence once he had left school in 1931.  

The 1939 Register records Lawrence and his wife Laura living at 55, Nottingham Road, Somercotes which is where the hairdressing salon was situated. He was listed as a Ladies and Gents hairdresser and his wife was an assistant. It is believed, however, that these premises had been a hairdressing establishment many years previous to the 1939 Register. Lawrence died in 1981, at the age of 82 years.

PHOTO: Lawrence Waters and a young Ted Wilbraham outside their premises at 55, Nottingham Road, Somercotes. The photograph date from around the mid-1930s.

Wilfred Edward Wilbraham [1917-1980]

Known locally as ‘Ted’, Wilfred Edward Wilbraham was born on 28 July 1917 to James Thomas and Mary Wilbraham. The family lived on Somercotes Hill and his father was employed as a hewer at one of the local collieries. As far as is known, Ted began his career as a hairdresser immediately after leaving school, working for Lawrence Waters.

In 1937, Ted married Gladys White at the Alfreton Wycliffe Congregational Church. Gladys was born at Shirland on 28 October 1914. The wedding was reported in the Ripley & Heanor News on 22 October 1937, part of which is transcribed as follows: “SOMERCOTES – WILBRAHAM – WHITE; The marriage took place on Saturday last at Alfreton Wycliffe Congregational Church of Miss Gladys White, a popular violinist, and only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel White, of the Delves Farm, Shirland, and Mr. Wilfred Edward Wilbraham, a well-known Somercotes hairdresser, youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Wilbraham, of Charles Street, Leabrooks. The service was fully choral, the Rev. Joseph Yielder (pastor) conducting the ceremony… A reception was held at the Town Hall, Alfreton, where 80 guests were entertained. The bride and bridegroom were the recipients of many useful presents. They will reside in Charles Street, Leabrooks.”

Two years after the wedding, the 1939 Register recorded Ted and Gladys living at ‘Gladward’ Charles Street, Somercotes. He is described as a ‘Ladies and Gents Hairdresser – Journeyman.’ In this context, Journeyman refers to a skilled [apprentice served] person who works for someone else, almost certainly referring to the relationship between Ted and Lawrence Waters.

During the late 1950s or early 1960s Ted took over the business from Lawrence in its entirety. He continued to live at Charles Street and the premises were simply used for the business. Ted was known to have several interesting hobbies. One was archery, which he seems to have taken seriously enough to purchase some expensive equipment. The other, from anecdotal sources, was model racing cars. He was thought to have had a substantial Scalextric circuit set up in one of the rooms on Nottingham Road, strictly for adults only!!

Ted died on 27 May 1980; at the he time lived at The Delves, Swanwick.