On Tuesday, 11th September 2001, Steven Lawn (The Digby 1987-91) was working in his office on the 82nd floor of the South Tower of the World Trade Center in New York, when terrorists crashed a second plane into the Twin Towers. He was 28 years old.
Today, Steven’s name is inscribed, along with those of 2,983 others who were killed in the 2001 and 1993 terrorist attacks, on the bronze parapets edging the memorial pools at the 9/11 Memorial built on the site of the World Trade Center.
Steven came to Sherborne School in 1987 from St Lawrence College Junior School in Ramsgate, Kent. He was a member of The Digby and is remembered fondly by his housemaster Mike Davis who said of him:
‘Steven joined the School and the House a year later than most of the students, but fitted in extremely quickly. He made friends very easily and was sensitive to others needs. He was very much the all-rounder academically and was a very hard worker. He loved his sport and played for the House in hockey, football, rugby and cricket, which led onto School representation. On the lighter side, he was to be seen taking part in a 24-hour marathon football match on the Digby lawn to raise money for a youngster who needed a racing wheelchair. Not to mention a charity 24-hour croquet marathon and cake stall for other charities. Steven wanted to help his fellow man in any way possible and in the House he was there for the younger boys to talk to when they needed guidance. He was very popular with the Davis family and especially the two corgis. As he progressed through the House he took his responsibilities very seriously and was admired by all.’
On leaving Sherborne School in 1991, Steven went on to study French and German at UCL where he met his future wife, Victoria. He graduated in 1996 and joined the Aon Corporation in London before transferring to their New York office.
Shortly after the 9/11 attack a memorial service was held in the chapel at Sherborne School and tomorrow, on the 20th anniversary of Steven’s death, the School will remember him during a minute’s silence.
To honour Steven’s memory, his family established at Sherborne School the annual Steven Lawn Memorial Lecture, held each year on or around the 11th September with the aim of building better understanding between the West and the Islamic world. Speakers at this prestigious lecture have included:
2003: Major General Patrick Cordingley (The Green 58-63).
2004: Douglas, Lord Hurd.
2005: Terry Waite.
2006: Camila Batmanghelidjh.
2007: Lord Butler of Brockwell.
2008: Sir Jeremy Greenstock.
2009: Richard Watson.
2010: Dr Sarah Katherine Fane.
2011: Monawar Hussain.
2012: Rev. Stephen Winter.
2013:Satish Kumar.
2015: Simon Weston.
2016: Sister Denise Boyle.
2017: Dr Scilla Elworthy.
2018: Alistair Harris (Westcott 97-92).
2019: Tom Frost.
2020: Major General James Cowan.
This year’s speaker will be Luke Baker (The Green 86-91), a journalist, writer and communicator who provides advice to corporate, philanthropic and government clients on communications and media strategy. Luke was for more than twenty years a foreign correspondent and bureau chief for Reuters in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Steven is named on the South Pool Panel S-54 of the 9/11 Memorial in New York.
Posted 10 September 2021 by Sherborne School Archives
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