Andrew Common

Who was Andrew Common?

Sir Lawrence Andrew Common, DSO, DL was a British shipping director.

Common was born in Bishopwearmouth, County Durham, the son of Francis James Common, an iron merchant from Darlington, and his wife, Annie Elizabeth of Banbury, Oxfordshire. His aunt, Elizabeth Common, was the wife of the Nonconformist divine, Joseph Parker.

In 1911, he became a second lieutenant in the 3rd Northumbrian Brigade of the Royal Field Artillery and was appointed a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order in 1917 for his services during World War I.

In 1944, Common was appointed a knight bachelor by George VI for his work with the Ministry of War Transport during World War II and knighted at Buckingham Palace in 1945. He was also appointed a Commander of the Order of Orange-Nassau by Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands in 1848, for his services to her country during the war.

In 1952, Common was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of County Durham and High Sheriff of that county in 1953, having previously been nominated in 1950 and 1952.

In 1923, Common had married Bessie Reid Pollock, a daughter of Gilbert Reid Pollock, an iron engineer from Neilston, Renfrewshire, and his wife, Annie of Hyde, Cheshire. They had two children, Elizabeth A. and Gilbert A..