Harry Lawrence

Harry Gordon Lawrence (1901–1973) was a South African politician.

Harry Lawrence
Ministers of the Interior
In office 6 Sep 1939 – 16 Aug 1943[1]
Prime Minister	Jan Smuts
Preceded by	Richard Stuttaford
Succeeded by	Charles Francis Clarkson
Ministers of the Interior
In office 16 Jan 1948 – 4 Jun 1948[1]
Prime Minister	Jan Smuts
Preceded by	Charles Francis Clarkson
Succeeded by	Eben Dönges
Ministers of Justice
In office 1945 – Jun 1948
Prime Minister	Jan Smuts
Preceded by	Colin Fraser Steyn
Succeeded by	Charles Robberts Swart
Personal details
Born	1901
Died	1973
Political party	United Party Progressive Party

Harry Lawrence was on the liberal wing of the United Party. He was the most senior of the MPs who broke away and founded the Progressive Party in 1959.

Lawrence served as a minister in the government of Jan Smuts before the National Party came to power in 1948.

He was Minister of Home Affairs 1939–43 and January–June 1948, as well as Minister of Justice 1945-June 1948.

Lawrence had his spleen damaged when he was attacked by Nationalists at a political meeting during the Second World War. This injury caused Lawrence continuous pain, as he explained when he declined to be considered for the Progressive Party leadership in 1959. He did, however, become the first party chairman of the PP.

Lawrence, like all the Progressive MPs except Helen Suzman was not re-elected at the 1961 General Election. He did not return to Parliament but served as temporary Party leader after Jan Steytler resigned in December 1970, until Colin Eglin was elected leader in February 1971.