The exact relationship between H. Samuel and Saqui & Lawrence has piqued a lot of interest. This is an attempt to clear things up – please comment if you have more information or images of Saqui & Lawrence shops that I could add to this post!
The London jeweller, Saqui & Lawrence, was acquired by H. Samuel in 1908.
The founders, Saqui and Lawrence — first cousins — were both closely related to the founder of H. Samuel, Mrs Harriet Samuel. She was their aunt.
Three sisters – Harriet, Rachel and Emma Wolf – married three brothers, Walter, Henry and Alfred Samuel, in Liverpool in the mid-19th century. A fourth sister, Sarah, married the watchmaker and jeweller John Jacob Saqui. Their eldest child was Abraham Horatio Saqui (1860-1922).
All four families lived and worked in Liverpool as jewellers and watch dealers, but after Walter’s death Harriet moved to Manchester, where she started a new business, H. Samuel, around 1875. By the 1890s this was in the hands of Harriet’s son Edgar, who must be credited with developing Britain’s best-known chain of jewellery shops.
Meanwhile, Saqui & Lawrence had been established around 1884 by Abraham Horatio Saqui and his cousin, Samuel Lawrence (born Lawrence Samuel but also known as Lawrence Lawrence, 1858-1941), the son of Emma and Alfred Samuel. Saqui & Lawrence developed a chain before H. Samuel, with shops in Borough High Street, Liverpool Street and Fleet Street in 1885. Their chain grew more slowly than H. Samuel’s, however, having just six shops by 1908.
Saqui & Lawrence suffered a string of damaging burglaries, widely reported in the press. Furthermore, in 1907-08 Lawrence became embroiled in a scandalous divorce when his young wife took up with his nephew. This may have triggered the dissolution of the partnership and the sale of the business to H. Samuel.
Once acquired by H. Samuel, Edgar took charge of Saqui & Lawrence shops which continued to multiply and traded into the 1980s.
Building Our Past 
This is fantastic! Many thanks for this snapshot of the Saqui family history.
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Thanks very much for this. I’m particularly happy to know where ‘Lawrence’ came from as that name (or variation) was often adopted by members of my Lazarus family; now I know that there is no connection this way. Who knows what other links I’ll find though – so many Jewish families were in the jewelry business and intermarried in the 1800s and early 1900s.
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And so many Jewish merchants, in all sectors, changed their names – makes research very tricky!
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In case you have not come across this, there is photo from August 1912 of the shop “Saqui and Lawrence” (no Lawrence) at 282 Bishopsgate, London by Philip Davies : Atlantic Publishing. Does this suggest that in 1912 Saqui was in business without Lawrence, or is there another reason why the Lawrence name is missing ? They described themselves as Lever Watchmakers and also offered “Lucky Wedding Rings
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How interesting and well observed! Yes, it does suggest that Saqui set up again on his own. More research required!
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I have the framed picture of the shop 282 Bishopsgate London with people standing outside. It’s very well framed and mounted 15″ x 21″. hjhowitt@googlemail.com if anyone is interested.
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Correction : the shop sign at 282 Bishopsgate is “Saqui and Company” (no Lawrence) !!!
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Knew what you meant!
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https://chorltonhistory.blogspot.com/2020/08/just-how-much-we-forget-manchester-1964.html?spref=fb&m=1 check out the Saqui and Lawrence store is in this pic of Manchester Piccadilly 1964. Also Henry Wolf, Engagement Rings a few doors along.
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The shop Saqui & Lawrence appeared in A Symphony of London on talking pictures channel.
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This is a really fascinating thread. I think I have inherited a piece of jewellery that was made by, or at least sold from, one of the London Saqui & Company shops. It’s a brooch that I think is supposed to be Halley’s comet that appeared in 1910. Is there any record of their pieces that I could check against? It would be lovely to find out exactly where the brooch came from
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I have a little alarm clock made by American clock company Ansonia. It has Saqui and Lawrence London printed in the dial . It has seen better days but is complete and ticking.
Could send a photo if you’re interested.
Best wishes
Jon
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I worked in the City of London from 1956 to 1971 and most days walked from Liverpool St Station to Bank Station passing through the Liverpool St Arcade. The first shop on the right was Saqui and Lawrence, I often stopped to look in the windows at the displays. Christmas 1970 the shop was closed for the Christmas holidays, after the holiday I went into the shop and together with, my now husband, an engagement ring was purchased. The ring was placed on my finger under the Christmas tree in the banking hall where I worked as I returned from my lunch hour. My husband was working south of the river at that time Some years later on a visit to London I was surprised and saddened to find Saqui and Lawrence and the Arcade were no longer there. Now, thanks to this site, I understand why, but I still feel sad. I find this site very interesting. the information and the comments.
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There is a cool Saqui and Lawrence electric sign in this photo of Piccadilly Circus 1962
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Just come across this information whilst looking for any Jewellery or watches for sale with the name Saqui & Lawrence. I am married to Abraham Horatio Saqui’s grandson & we have often pondered why the business ended. Another bit of the jigsaw of the family history. Thank you
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Hi Jane
Horatio is my great-grandfather!
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That’s amazing! Who was your grandfather? Are you in the UK? Would be good to compare notes on the family history.
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Hi Jane I can be reached at Cedra@shaw.ca
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My great-grandfather’s paternal family were named Saqui. This particular branch came from Spain to Liverpool and London – their records are kept at Bevis Marks – and then onto the US where they had cigar and port wine businesses. I’ve just learnt of the jewellers and I wonder if there is a common link with my ancestors?
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P.S. my email address is lyndsylspence@gmail.com
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Hi Jane
I’ve just purchased a ring the ‘big online auction site’ (UK) from Saqui and Lawrence, in the original box and have been Googling for information. This is very interesting.
It’s a pretty little, 18 carat yellow gold, 5 diamond half eternity ring, US size 7, half a carat total.
I can’t seem to upload a photo on this website (maybe you need to be a member?) but if you’d like to see it please reply here with your email address and I’ll send some photos. (I can also send to Cedra who has posted below)
Louise
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Hi Jane,
I have a ladies pin which I inherited about sixty years ago, that sits in a Saqui and Lawrence small satin lined, blue hard shell case. It is a bar pin, gold with small pearls and a red stone in the center. Maybe an amethyst? I know it must be from the latter part of the 1800’s because my relative who owned it came to the United States in 1905. In the lid of the box under the name it has an address or maybe it is a few addresses. The first says Liverpool St E.C. 2, the second says Strand W.C.2 and the third, Piccadilly W.1.
I love the pin and just decided to look up the jeweler.
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I have a small jewellery box, Saqui & Lawrence 28, 29, 30 & 31 Liverpool Street. Happy to post to any interested parties, for free ( if my postage is covered)
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I’d love to have it! Where are you located? I’m in Canada, V9Z 0H9
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Hi Sue,
I’d love to have the box, I can be reached at cedra@shaw.ca
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i worked for h Samuel in Piccadilly Circus on the corner of Sherwood street and Glasshouse street as a manager in 1983 and as a assistant manager in 1982 .It was a great job every few days i would have Edgar Samuel Visit my shop each morning and point out if a watch had stopped he would stop and make sure i replaced the battery in the watch and it was working before he left the property. I used to travel up from Romford to Piccadilly Circus every day some times going through the arcade at Liverpool street station and walk through the arcade where Saqui and Lawerance Was I was went in there and purchased two Royal Douton Figures
An assistant manager who i knew broke into Saqui and Lawerence Liverpool street came through the roof and stole a lot of Jewellery ended up in prison.They were the days
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H Samuel took over Saqui and lawerence jewellers when Gerald Ratner came along before he made a wrong statement about a prawn sandwich and many of the chain of shops closed for good.
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Hello Clive… l remember you. I recall you came to Piccadilly when VU was Manager and AS was the AM.. l was a trainee at the time and ended up managing S&L in Portsmouth. HS owned S&L way back from the early 70’s. Didn’t you also work on Cheapside?
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I started at H Samuel 1984 at commercial Rd Portsmouth, when the shopping center was built called Cascades , Saqui& Lawrence was at the entrance so a compulsory purchase was made and the shop was incorporated in the H Samuel at 197 Commercial Rd as it was two two shops knocked into one . The shop was separated and I managed the Saqui & Lawrence store for just under a year , it was then closed down and I believe it was the last one to be shut down . I took over from the previous manager Malcom Allen .
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Clive,
I came across this clip and randomly investigated a shop fron before going down a rabbit hole ending in your picadilly comment on a blog.
Thought I’d close the loop by sending you the clip.
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@Wayne. You must have worked with Mr Allen at 197.
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I have an engagement ring in original box with Saqui and Lawrence ltd,court jewellers,Liverpool Street etc on it, I think from early 1930s, it was my grandmothers, my mum was born in 1938, I’m just trying to find out information about it
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Look at this Twitter post of a film taken in 1930 that shows the shop
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My brother John worked at Saqui & Lawrence in the 70s. Think he became head of the watch department. He’d have loved to see this. ❤️🙏🏼
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I am most interested to read these posts. I have receipts for my late mother’s engagement and wedding rings (still have the engagement ring) purchased from Saqui & Lawrence in Cambridge. The receipt for the latter (August 1947) is “Saqui & Lawrence Ltd., London’s Largest Jewellers – Watchmakers, Jewellers and Silversmiths, Depot for Waltham Watches, 8 Northgate Street, Gloucester”, over-stamped with “Saqui & Lawrence, 29 Sydney (sic) Street, Cambridge”. On the reverse, “London Branches: Piccadilly Circus – 1/3 Shaftesbury Avenue W1; 28/30 Liverpool Street EC2; Hammersmith – 17 The Broadway, W6; King’s Cross – 276 Pentonville Road N7; Holloway – 454 Holloway Road N7; Kilburn – 134 High Road NW6. Branches: Brighton – 75 North Street; Cheltenham – 121 High Street; Derby – 8 St Peter’s Street; Gloucester – 8 Northgate Street; Manchester – 17 Piccadilly; Swansea – 7/8 Oxford Street.” By October/November 1947, when the wedding ring was bought (and subsequently exchanged) Cambridge had its own printed receipts (29 Sidney Street), the King’s Cross, London and Swansea branch addresses no longer appear, but there is an addition of a “Leicester – 23 Gallowtreegate” branch, along with Cambridge. Another receipt for a ‘repair’ dated July 1960, shows another London branch (in The Strand), and others “In the Provinces” appear, namely Darlington, Exeter, Salisbury, Portsmouth and Plymouth. Cheltenham no longer appears.
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I’ve just looked up this company as I inherited some jewellery from an elderly member of my family. it was in an original box with the Saqui and Lawrence name on the lid with a list of all the addresses of the London shops. The jewellery is a rose gold and garnet pendant and is at least 100 yrs old if not more. I inherited the jewellery in the early 80s when the person passed away. She was in her middle 80s when she passed. I do not know if she herself inherited it or it was bought for her. I still have the pendant and the box.😊 Interesting that they were bought out by H Samuel. Thanks for that information!
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In the late 70’s, as a student, I worked part-time for a jewellers, Green & Symons, at Picadilly Circus, in London. One day my mother and I were in town shopping and I took her into the shop to see where I worked. Imagine my surprise when she announced ‘this is where my engagement ring came from’! My father had a relative who worked in Saqui & Lawrence (as it was then) and dad took mum to the shop to chose the solitaire diamond for her platinum engagement ring. (1950’s) Dad always said she had good taste, as she chose the best quality, not the largest stone. Unfortunately her engagement ring was stolen in a robbery many years ago but she then gave me her platinum wedding ring as it didn’t go with anything else. It is still on my ring finger with my own rings. I assume that it also came from S&L. I later worked for Ratners for a couple of years and on another shopping trip to town I discovered that they then owned the old Green & Symons shop and the manager was one I had worked with at Ratners in Hounslow! So many coincidences attached to the building. Unfortunately it’s now Gap and all the character’s been ripped out. I loved the spiral staircase down to the basement and the owners’ offices with the semi-circular windows.
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My husband’s family name is Samuel and Lawrence was the middle name of his grandfather, father and now our son. Don’t know how far back it goes as a middle name for the male line, always with that spelling not Laurence which is more usual for a first name. My husband’s mother was an H Samuel marrying into the Samuel family which always raised a smile!
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I have my Grandmothers engagement ring in original box it was purchased by my Grandfather in 1915 when he was a petty officer on HMS Emperor of India and it was in dry dock .
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A friend of mine has a family connection to Saqui and Lawrence, and she has come across an old family album with a photograph of her relative outside his jewellers in Lahore (pre-Partition) called ‘Imrie and Lawrence’. What is the connection, if any?
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I would LOVE to see that photo! I’m a Saqui descendant
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That’s wonderful, Cedra, thank you. I have emailed you at the address that you gave earlier (cedra@shaw.ca) and attached the photos. Best wishes, Sarah
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Hello, Cedra – Did you get the email I sent you on July 18th with the photos? Best wishes, Sarah Ballingal (I don’t know why the website has given me the name “dazzling1e71ob75eb!” (see below)
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When I was young and eagle-eyed in the 1970s I shopped for an engagement ring at Saqui & Lawrence on Shaftesbury Avenue. The young sales clerk trotted one out as being nicely priced with a fine quality diamond. I took the ring and examined it. Back in the day my eyes had the ability to focus “beyond” (not sure how else to put it). The clerk was surprised when I examined the ring and handed it back saying the stone was flawed. It had a chip out of one facet. I got the impression that the clerk’s surprise came at my ability to detect the flaw, and not the flaw itself. He already knew!
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