from Walsingham Review no. 20 July 1966
Recently there died suddenly a Priest Associate who was probably known to very few others, but who had a great influence upon Walsingham in the early days. Alexander Lawson, who in his youth lived with Fr Roger Wodehouse in Oxford, was enormously knowledgeable about Shrines of Our Lady on the Continent and was amongst the first pilgrims to the restored Shrine at Walsingham. It was he who persuaded Fr Hope Patten to dress the image according to mediaeval custom, and he provided the Silver Crown which is known today as the Oxford Crown. He was a priest of great integrity and never feared to make himself unpopular by speaking his mind and demonstrating to other people their wrong-headedness. He was Vicar of St Ives, Hunts, for sixteen years 1946-62 until ill-health compelled him to retire. He had not been much to Walsingham in recent years, but he made a pilgrimage on the Sunday before he died, which was an appropriate end to the life of one who had a great devotion to Our Lady and had done much to forward her honour in this Country.

His books and albums of postcards formed the nucleus of the Shrine's Marian Library.