William Lutener Langridge b.September 1890 at Hollington, Sussex, m.21 Jan 1920 at Devonport, Auckland, New Zealand, d.1988 at Auckland, New Zealand, 1 child.
Gertrude Amy Langridge b.12 Mar 1892, m.18 Dec 1918 at New Plymouth, New Zealand, d.30 Aug 1984,
Notes: Luke was born on 23 Aug 1867 at Hollington and was the second son of James and Isabella. He also became a builder so perhaps the family business was thriving. In 1886 the wife of William Lutener L Snr’s younger brother, James Nimrod L the wheelwright of Danehill, wrote a very chatty letter to her daughter part of which refers to a visit to the Hollington Langridges. She mentions Luke picking them up in the trap from St Leonards and later in the letter states that Luke was very keen on going to America but changed his mind when he found out that his father was in work. A transcription of this letter appears later in the section on the Danehill Langridges.
In the March Qtr of 1890 Luke married Amy Cook and their son William Lutener was born in Sep 1890 and daughter, Gertrude Amy, on 12 Mar 1892. Sadly Amy died on 26 Nov 1896 and is buried at the Church in the Wood. I recall Gran telling me that Luke was making his way home from work when he heard the church bells tolling for a death, only to find when he got home that it was for his wife. The children were cared for by their Aunt Isabel until Luke remarried to Eva Maude Mary Lawrence in the Dec Qtr of 1900 at Herne in Kent. Will’s daughter June was told that during this time Luke spent some time out in the Australian goldfields but we have no further information on that period of his life. In 1901 they were living at Herne and the family departed for New Zealand early in 1905. Gertie had her 13th birthday at sea and as her stepmother was suffering badly from seasickness she was required to care for Dora, then aged about three or four and Alf aged about eighteen months.
I understand that on their arrival in New Zealand they initially settled in the Wairarapa but then moved to Taranaki in 1909 where Luke bought a small farm near Egmont Village. He later bought and sold several properties and eventually settled in Mill Rd in New Plymouth where he built several houses in the neighbourhood. Personally I only knew Luke as my grandmother’s brother whom we used to visit occasionally when I was a small boy. I particularly remember his huge garden at the back of the section at 5 Mill Rd. This land has since been subdivided.
Luke had a great interest in outdoor bowls and was a long time member of the Vogeltown Bowling Club in New Plymouth. I recall going with my grandmother to watch him playing in a championship game. This could not have been very long before he died.
He passed away on 22 Jul 1952 and is buried in Te Henui cemetery in New Plymouth
