I know the name of a three other people involved in San Francisco’s Fortean Society—but not much more than that.
About Richard Lamb, I know nothing more than he lived in Carmel. This is according to Robert Barbour Johnson. Unfortunately, a search of public records has revealed a large number of Richard Lambs who have lived in Carmel at some point in their lives. Absent further information, it is impossible to identify which is the Richard Lamb who was in the Fortean Society.
About the Lawses, I can say a little more. According to the same Robert Barbour Johnson letter, the Laws lived in Redwood City. They were Albert and Phe. Likely, then, the Albert Laws in question was born 19 February 1924 in New York. He died in Monterey County on 25 November 1983, according to the California death index. I have sent for, but not yet received, a copy of his death certificate, which may provide additional leads.
About Richard Lamb, I know nothing more than he lived in Carmel. This is according to Robert Barbour Johnson. Unfortunately, a search of public records has revealed a large number of Richard Lambs who have lived in Carmel at some point in their lives. Absent further information, it is impossible to identify which is the Richard Lamb who was in the Fortean Society.
About the Lawses, I can say a little more. According to the same Robert Barbour Johnson letter, the Laws lived in Redwood City. They were Albert and Phe. Likely, then, the Albert Laws in question was born 19 February 1924 in New York. He died in Monterey County on 25 November 1983, according to the California death index. I have sent for, but not yet received, a copy of his death certificate, which may provide additional leads.
If this is indeed the Albert Laws in question, then I can say a few more things about him, even absent the death record. The family was in New Haven, Connecticut in 1929 and 1930; Albert traveled to England in 1929 and returned to New York the same year. His father was Edward Laws, born around 1895 in England. His mother, Beatrice Habonesian, was born in 1907. Beatrice and Edward were married in 1928 or 1929, the first marriage for her, but not him. (He was first married at age 27, so around 1922.) Edward was a solicitor for an insurance company.
What Albert did, and how he came to California I don’t know.
Phe Laws was born was born in January 1925. She joined the San Francisco Forteans and became a lifelong friend with Garen Drussai. According to an article in the 18 May 1960 San Mateo Times, was attending the College of San Mateo and had been elected to the local chapter of Alpha Gamma Sigma, the state junior college honor society. She does not seem to have finished her degree there—or changed her major, perhaps, because the same paper on 9 June 1969 had her among those receiving an associate’s of art degree from Canada College, a just-opened community college in Redwood City. Apparently, Phe, however, was living in Millbrae at the time. To receive her degree that first she required transferring from another school, presumably the College of San Mateo.
Later reports indicate that her work—if not degree—was in home economics. Around 1972, she became fascinated by microwave ovens. Not finding much material to study, she taught herself how to cook with the new tools—well enough that she taught classes at a local college, according to a 7 July 1977 article in the Chicago Tribune.
By 1976, she was a consultant for Litton kitchen appliances according to the 31 August 1976 Syracuse Herald Journal. That same year she published International Gourmet Cooking with Microwave. The book took her on a trip to Chicago, at least, where she taught classes for a week at The Complete Cook in Glenview. Laws continued doing demonstrations: according to the March 16 1977 Oakland Tribune she was showing how to get the most from microwaves at Superior Home Appliances. She followed up her debut book with Vegetable Magic with Microwave, published in 1978. This was either continued or revised as Vegetable Cookery in 1980.
In 2009, when I spoke with Garen Drussai by phone, Drussai mentioned that Laws still lived nearby in Santa Rosa. Attempts to contact her have not yielded any answers.
What Albert did, and how he came to California I don’t know.
Phe Laws was born was born in January 1925. She joined the San Francisco Forteans and became a lifelong friend with Garen Drussai. According to an article in the 18 May 1960 San Mateo Times, was attending the College of San Mateo and had been elected to the local chapter of Alpha Gamma Sigma, the state junior college honor society. She does not seem to have finished her degree there—or changed her major, perhaps, because the same paper on 9 June 1969 had her among those receiving an associate’s of art degree from Canada College, a just-opened community college in Redwood City. Apparently, Phe, however, was living in Millbrae at the time. To receive her degree that first she required transferring from another school, presumably the College of San Mateo.
Later reports indicate that her work—if not degree—was in home economics. Around 1972, she became fascinated by microwave ovens. Not finding much material to study, she taught herself how to cook with the new tools—well enough that she taught classes at a local college, according to a 7 July 1977 article in the Chicago Tribune.
By 1976, she was a consultant for Litton kitchen appliances according to the 31 August 1976 Syracuse Herald Journal. That same year she published International Gourmet Cooking with Microwave. The book took her on a trip to Chicago, at least, where she taught classes for a week at The Complete Cook in Glenview. Laws continued doing demonstrations: according to the March 16 1977 Oakland Tribune she was showing how to get the most from microwaves at Superior Home Appliances. She followed up her debut book with Vegetable Magic with Microwave, published in 1978. This was either continued or revised as Vegetable Cookery in 1980.
In 2009, when I spoke with Garen Drussai by phone, Drussai mentioned that Laws still lived nearby in Santa Rosa. Attempts to contact her have not yielded any answers.
