Edwin Luke:  History

 

Edwin Luke was born in 1839 in Walworth, a district of south London.  He was the son of Abraham North Luke, a grocer and Sarah Luke (nee Gunn).  Edwin had 6 siblings: 5 sisters and an older brother.  During his childhood his family lived at first in the Lambeth section of south London, later moving to the town of Romford in northeast London.  By 1861 they moved again, this time to Westow Street in Upper Norwood, an area of south London not far from where the Crystal Palace was moved after the Great Exhibition of 1851.  His father died there in 1872 and his mother in 1877 and both were buried at the West Norwood Cemetery.  By the time Edwin was 21 he was living at 12 Warwick Square in London, located half a mile south of Buckingham Palace, and was working as a commercial clerk.  The fact that he was living at a place with 65 other young men, most in their late teens or early twenties who were all commercial clerks, implies he was either living in a housing project of some type or more likely living and working in a factory or warehouse. 

 

Sarah Ann Strange was born on December 25, 1836 and was baptized at a church a few blocks northwest of St. Paul’s cathedral in London.  Her parents were William Strange, a bookseller, and Ann Strange, who from 1835 until at least 1841 lived on Paternoster Row next to St. Paul’s.  By 1861 her father was listed as a bookseller employing 4 boys although he was occasionally listed as a publisher.  Sarah Ann had 4 brothers and 2 sisters, she being the oldest daughter.  For many years the Strange family lived in the London Borough of Hackney, located in northeast London. 

 

How Edwin and Sarah Ann met is still a mystery.   On January 1, 1868 Edwin Luke and Sarah Ann Strange were united in marriage at the Horbury Chapel, Notting Hill in the Kensington district of London (pictured here[1]).  At the time of their marriage Edwin was a 28-year-old warehouseman who lived with his parents in Upper Norwood whereas Sarah Ann was a 30-year-old spinster living at 31 Notting Hill Terrace in Kensington.   Roughly two years later in 1869, Edwin purchased a Quadruple needle case made of silver and had it engraved for his wife as a combined Christmas and birthday gift.  The couple lived at 31 Vaughan Road in the Brixton district of south London where Edwin worked as a draper’s warehouseman from at least 1871 until at least 1901.  They had 3 children, 2 who survived to adulthood: William who was born in 1872 and died 7 weeks later of gastritis, Herbert who was born in 1874 and Percy born in 1876.  Sometime after Edwin retired, the family moved to Swanley Village in Kent, about 24 miles south of London, where they spent the remainder of their lives.  For many years two of Sarah’s younger sisters, who never married, lived with the Luke family.  Since neither sister was employed, they either lived on money inherited from their Strange parents or the Luke family had the funds necessary to support them.  Edwin Luke’s degree of success is confirmed in his son’s marriage records, one indicates Edwin attained the status of gentleman by 1908 and in another was listed as an Esquire by 1918.  Sarah Ann Luke died in 1928 at age 91 followed by Edwin two years later in 1930 at age 90.  After her death, Sarah Ann’s estate, valued as £27, 8s, 5d pence, equivalent to £1255 today (approximately $1,742), was left to her son Percy.  Unfortunately, no record of Edwin’s estate has been found. Their son Herbert became an architect and surveyor who died in 1930, the same year as his father.  Percy was a merchant, an export textile agent and a shipping merchant who died in 1963.

 

Edwin Luke: Images

 

Quad: Sterling Silver - Christmas Gift front.

 

  Quad Sterling Silver, engraving detail

Quad: Sterling Silver - Christmas Gift back.

 

 

Edwin Luke: Genealogy

 

Luke Generation 1: Abraham North Luke (1801-1872) and Sarah Gunn (1808-1877)

·       Born: March 17, 1801 Norton Folgate, Spitalfields (S1c) (S4), March 17, 1801 London (S7). Norton Folgate, Spitalfields is located 3.5 miles northeast of Trafalgar Square in London (Note: all distances were calculated by using google.com searches).

·       Baptized: April 15, 1801 Christ Church Spitalfields, Towers Hamlet, Middlesex (S1c).  Listed as Abrm North Luke with parents Samuel and Elizabeth Luke of Norton Folgate with father’s occupation listed as a linnen draper (Note: A draper is someone who sells cloth).

·       Wife’s Birth: 1808 Hadleigh, Suffolk (S7) and 1808 (S4).  Hadleigh is located 79 miles northeast of London.

·       Marriage: August 18, 1827 St. Mary, Aylesbury, Buckingham (S1m).  Listed as Abraham North Luke and Sarah Gunn.  Aylesbury is located 45 miles northwest of London.

·       1841 Census: Hill Street, St. Mary Newington, Lambeth, Surrey (S4).  Listed as Abraham Luke age 40 a grocer not born in the county with wife Sarah age 30 not born in the county and 5 children: Jane, Eliza, Alfred, Mary and Edwin (Note: adult ages in this census were rounded to the nearest 5).  St. Mary Newington is located 2.3 miles southeast of Trafalgar Square in London.

·       1851 Census: 19 High Street, Romford, Essex (S4).  Listed as Abraham Luke age 50 a grocer born in Spitalfields, Middlesex with wife Sarah age 43 born in Hadley, Suffolk and 4 children: Mary Ann, Edwin, Martha and Louisa (Note: Martha and Louisa were incorrectly listed by the census taker as Matha and Lewesa in this census).  Romford is located 16.4 miles northeast of Trafalgar Square in London.

·       1861 Census:  94 Westow Street, Norwood, Croydon, Surrey (S4).  Listed as Abraham M. Luke age 60 a retired grocer born in London with wife Sarah age 53 born in Hadley, Suffolk and 3 children: Mary A., Martha G. and Louisa M.  Westow Street in Norwood is located 7.4 miles south of Trafalgar Square in London.

·       1871 Census: 189 Westow Street, Upper Norwood, Croydon, Surrey (S4).  Listed as Abraham N. Luke age 70 a collector of accounts born in Norton Folgate, London with wife Sarah age 63 born in Hadleigh, Suffolk and 1 child: Louisa M. age 22 and 1 grandchild Annie Brown age 5 born in Norwood. 

·       Death:  August 19, 1872 Croydon, Surrey (S8d), listed as Abraham North Luke age 71 formerly a grocer who died at Westow Street in Upper Norwood.  August 19, 1872 Norwood, Croydon, London (S7) (S6).

·       Burial: August 23, 1872 (S1burial, S7) West Norwood Cemetery and Crematorium, Greater London.  Listed as Abraham North Luke of Westow Street, Upper Norwood in the bishop’s transcript and as Abraham North Luke with wife Sarah Luke and daughter Mary Ann Chandler on Find a Grave.

·       Probate: November 15, 1872 Principal Registry (S6).  Listed as Abraham North Luke of Westow-Street Upper Norwood, Surrey with effects under £200 proved by his widow Sarah Luke of Camden-villas Gipsy Hill Upper Norwood.

·       Wife’s Death: September 2, 1877 Norwood, Lambeth, London (S8d), listed as Sarah Luke age 70, the widow of Abraham North Luke a collector, who died at Camden Hill Villas Gipsy Hill, Norwood with her son Edwin Luke present at her death.  September 4, 1877 Lambeth, London (S7).

·       Wife’s Burial: September 6, 1877 (S1burial, S7) West Norwood Cemetery and Crematorium, Greater London.  Listed as Sarah Ann Luke of 9 Camden Hill Villa, Upper Norwood in the bishop’s transcript and as Sarah Luke with husband Abraham North Luke and daughter Mary Ann Chandler on Find a Grave.

·       Wife’s Probate: not found.

·       Children:

1.     Jane Luke (c1829-??).  Born: (S4).

2.     Eliza Luke (c1831-??).  Born: (S4).

3.     Alfred Luke (c1834-??).  Born: (S4).

4.     Mary Ann Luke (c1837-).  Born: Westminster (S4).  Marriage: August 13, 1862 Croydon, Surrey (S3), listed as Mary Ann Luke age 26 a spinster whose father was Abraham North Luke a grocer and draper and Augustus Chandler age 25 a bachelor.

5.     Edwin Luke (1839-1930) – see Luke/Strange Generation 2.

6.     Martha Gunn Luke (c1843-??).  Born: Walworth, Surrey (S4).

7.     Louise Maria Luke (c1849-??). Born: Romford, Essex (S4)

 

Strange Generation 1: William Strange (c1801-??)  and Ann Roff (c1802-??)                                                             

(Note: additional information about the Strange family has not been found because the surname is fairly common in the London area)

·       Born: c1801 Borough of Southwark (S4).

·       Wife’s Birth: c1802 (S4).

·       Marriage: 1833 London (S=Pallot’s Marriage Index 1780-1837 at ancestry.com).  Listed as Wm Strange of St. Faith and Ann Roff of St. Mary Abbott, Kensington, London (Note: this may not be their actual marriage record but rather a note to indicating they were in fact already married by 1833).

·       1841 Census: 21 Paternoster Row, St. Faith, London, Middlesex (S4).  Listed as William Strange age 40 a publisher not born in the county with wife Ann age 35 born in the county and 6 children: William, Charles, Thomas, Sarah, Eliza and Mary Ann (Note: adult ages in this census were rounded to the nearest 5).  Paternoster Row is located 2 miles east of Trafalgar Square in London, next to St. Paul’s Cathedral.

·       1851 Census: 3 Navarino Grove, Hackney, Dalston, Towers Hamlet, Middlesex (S4).  Listed as William Strange age 50 a bookseller born in Newington Causeway, Surrey with wife Ann age 48 born in Kensington and 2 children: Thomas and John (Note: William’s age is incorrectly listed in the census index as 56).  Newington Causeway in Surry is located 2 miles southeast of Trafalgar Square in London and Navarino Grove in Hackney is located 5.2 miles northeast Trafalgar Square in London.

·       1861 Census:  6 Downs Cottage, Hackney, Towers Hamlet, Middlesex (S4).  Listed as William Strange age 60 a bookseller employing 4 boys born in the borough of Southwark with wife Ann age 59 born in Kensington and 4 children: Thomas, Sarah, Eliza and Mary A.  Downs Cottage in Hackney is located 5.7 miles northeast of Trafalgar Square in London.

·       Death: not found.

·       Burial: not found.

·       Probate: not found.

·       Wife’s Death: not found.

·       Wife’s Burial: not found.

·       Wife’s Probate:  not found.

·       Children:

1.     William Strange (1824-??).  Born: August 26, 1824 and baptized September 19, 1824 St. Dunstan in the West, London (S1c), listed as William Strange with parents William and Ann Strange of 24 Fetter Lane with father’s occupation bookseller.  Fetter Lane is located 1.4 miles slightly northeast of Trafalgar Square in London.

2.     Charles Frederick Strange (1828-??).  Born: September 4, 1828 and baptized September 24, 1828 St. Dunstan in the West, London (S1c), listed as Charles Frederick Strange with parents William and Ann Strange of Fetter Lane with father’s occupation stationer and bookseller.   Dunstan in the West is located 1.2 miles sightly northeast of Trafalgar Square in London.

3.     Thomas Strange (1835-??).  Born: May 17, 1835 and baptized August 4, 1835 St. Faith under St. Paul’s, London (S1c), listed as Thomas Strange with parents William and Ann Strange of 21 Paternoster Row with father’s occupation bookseller.  Marriage: October 29, 1864 Hackney, Middlesex (S3), listed as Thomas Strange a commercial clerk living at Navarino Grove whose father was William Strange a publisher.

4.     Sarah Ann Strange (1836-1928).  Born: December 25, 1836 and baptized March 12, 1837 Christ Church Greyfiars, Newgate Street, London (S1c), listed as Sarah Ann Strange with parents William and Ann Strange of Paternoster Row with father’s occupation bookseller.  1841 Census: with parents (S4), listed as Sarah Strange age 4 born in the county.  1851 Census: not found.  1861 Census: with parents (S4), listed as Sarah Strange age 24 born in London.  Christ Church Greyfiars Newgate Street is located 2.3 miles northeast of Trafalgar Square in London.  See Luke/Strange Generation 2 for later details.

5.     Eliza Strange (1838-??).  Born: September 19,1838 Northwest District, City of London Union (S8b), listed as Eliza Strange who was born at St. Faith with parents William Strange a bookseller and Ann Strange formerly Roff with the informant listed as William Strange of 21 Paternoster Row.  Baptized: October 28, 1838 Bridge of the parish of Hillingdon, London, Middlesex (S1c) with parents William and Ann Strange of the parish of St. Faith, London, Middlesex with father’s occupation bookseller.  4^th QTR 1838 London (S5b), listed as Eliza Strange with mother’s maiden name Roff.

6.     Mary Ann Strange (1840-??).  Born: December 3, 1840 and baptized: February 7, 1841 Christchurch Greyfiars, Newgate Street, London (S1c), listed as Mary Ann Strange with parents William and Ann Strange of 21 Paternoster Row whose father was a bookseller and publisher.

7.     John Strange (1842-??).  Born:  December 7, 1842 Northwest District, City of London Union (S8b).  Listed as John Strange who was born at St. Faith with parents William Strange a bookseller and Ann Strange formerly Roff with the informant listed as William Strange of 21 Paternoster Row.  (Note: his birth record was listed in the 1^st QTR 1843 birth register).

 

Luke/Strange Generation 2: Edwin Luke (1839-1930) and Sarah Ann Strange (1836-1928)

·       Born: October 13, 1839 at 13 Hill Street, Walworth, Newington, London, Surrey (S8b).  Listed as Edwin Luke with father listed as Abraham North Luke a grocer and Sarah Luke formerly Gunn.  Walworth is located 2.5 miles southeast of Trafalgar Square in London.

·       1841 Census: with parents (S4).  Listed as Edwin Luke age 2 born in the county. 

·       1851 Census: with parents (S4).  Listed as Edwin Luke age 11 born in St. Mary Newington, Surrey.

·       1861 Census: 12 Warwick Square, Christchurch Newgate Street, Middlesex, London City North West (S4).  Listed as Edwin Luke age 21 a commercial clerk born in Walworth, Surrey.  Edwin was one of 65 young men most who were in their late teens or early twenties who were listed as commercial clerks at this address. Warwick Square is located 2.1 miles slightly southwest of Trafalgar Square in London.

·       Marriage: January 1, 1868 Horbury Chapel, Notting Hill, Kensington (S8m).  Listed as Edwin Luke age 28 a bachelor and warehouseman who resided at Westow Street, Upper Norwood whose father was Abraham Luke a collector and Sarah Ann Strange age 30 a spinster who resided at 31 Notting Hill Terrance, Kensington whose father was William Strange a bookseller.

·       1871 Census: 31 Vaughan Road, Brixton, Lambeth, Surrey (S4).   Listed as Edwin Luke age 31 a warehouseman born in Walworth, Surrey with wife Sarah A. age 33 born in London, Middlesex.  (Note: this is the only Luke family in the 1871 UK census with members with forenames that start with the letters E. and S. A.  There was only one other Luke with the initials S. A. and she was married to James Luke).  Vaughan Road in Brixton is located 3.9 miles south of Trafalgar Square in London.

·       1881 Census: 31 Vaughan Road, Brixton, Lambeth, London, Surrey (S4).   Listed as Edwin Luke age 41 a warehouseman born in Walworth, Surrey with wife Sarah A. age 43 born in London, Middlesex and 2 children: Herbert and Percy and a sister-in-law Mary Ann Strange age 40 born in London, Middlesex. 

·       1891 Census: 31 Vaughan Road, Brixton, Lambeth, London, Surrey (S4).   Listed as Edwin Luke age 51 a drapers warehouseman employed born in Walworth, Surrey with wife Sarah Ann age 54 born in London, Middlesex and 2 children: Herbert A. and Percy and a sister-in-law Mary Ann Strange age 50 born in London, Middlesex. 

·       1901 Census: 31 Vaughan Road, Brixton, Lambeth, London, Surrey (S4).   Listed as Edwin Luke age 61 a warehouseman worker born in Lambeth with wife Sarah Ann age 64 born in London and 1 child: Percy, and 2 sisters-in-law: Eliza Strange age 62 born in London and Mary Ann Strange age 60 born in London. 

·       1911 Census: 1 The Villas, Swanley Village, Kent (S4).  Listed as Edwin Luke age 71 a retired drapery warehouseman born in Walworth with wife Sarah Ann age 74 born in London and 1 child: Herbert Arthur and 2 wife’s sisters: Eliza Strange age 72 born in London and Mary Ann Strange age 70 born in London.  They were married 42 years and had 3 children, 2 who were still living.  Swanley Village in Kent is located 20.2 miles southeast of London.

·       Wife’s Death: February 24, 1928 Dartford, Kent (S8d).  Listed as Sarah Ann Luke age 91 of The Villas, Swanley Village, Kent the wife of Edwin Luke a retired warehouseman with her son Percy Luke as the informant in attendance.

·       Wife’s Burial: not found.

·       Wife’s Probate: April 16, 1928 London (S6).  Listed as Sarah Ann Luke of 2 The Villas, Swanley Village, Kent (wife of Edwin Luke) with effects £27, 8s., 5d. to Percy Luke a merchant.

·       Death: March 11, 1930 Dartford, Kent (S8d).  Listed as Edwin Luke age 90 formerly a warehouseman drapers who died at The Villas, Swanley Village, Kent with his son Percy Luke as the informant.

·       Burial: not found.

·       Probate:  not found.

·       Children:

1.     William Edwin Luke (1872-1872).  Born: 1^st QTR 1872 Lambeth (S5b). 

·       Born:  January 3, 1872 Brixton, Lambeth, Surrey (S8b).  Listed as William Edwin Luke who was born at 31 Vaughan Road, Cold Harbour Lane with parents Edwin Luke a drapers warehouseman and Sara Luke formerly Strange with E. Luke present at the birth.

·       Death:  February 21, 1872 Brixton, Lambeth, Surrey (S8d).  Listed as William Edwin Luke age 7 weeks who died at 21 Vaughan Road of gastritis whose father was Edwin Luke a drapers warehouseman who was present at his death.

2.     Herbert Arthur Luke (1874-1930).

·       Born: March 9, 1874 Brixton, Lambeth, London (S8b).  Listed as Herbert Arthur Luke who was born at 31 Vaughan Road with parents Edwin Luke a warehouseman and Sarah Ann Luke formerly Strange.

·       1881 Census: with parents (S4).  Listed as Herbert Luke age 7 born in Camberwell, Surrey.  Camberwell is located 3.4 miles southeast of Trafalgar Square in London.

·       1891 Census: with parents (S4).  Listed as Herbert A. Luke age 17 an architects assistant employed born in Camberwell, Surrey.

·       1901 Census: Eyre Street, Newbridge, Kildare, Ireland (S=Ireland 1901 Census at ancestry.com).  Listed as Herbert Arthur Luke age 27 born in England a draftsman R. E. Civil Staff Carragh Camp. 

·       1911 Census: with parents (S4).  Listed as Herbert Arthur Luke age 37 an architect born in Camberwell, Surrey.

·       Marriage:  September 12, 1918 Dartford, Kent (S8m), listed as Herbert Arthur Luke age 44 a bachelor and War Office inspector of building material and huts who resided in Swanley Village whose father was Edwin Luke a retired wholesale draper’s manager and Marion Isabel Lyon age 37 a spinster.  Also, in the Hastings and St. Leonards Observer newspaper dated September 21, 1918 page 8 column (S=https://www.britishnewspaper archives.co.uk) which lists the September 12^th marriage in Dartford, Kent of Herbert Arthur Luke, licentiate R.I.B.A., of H.M. War Office, eldest son of Edwin Luke, Esq., and Mrs. Luke, of Swanley, to Marion Isabel, only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lyon, of Hextabo Gate of Burnside, Alexandra Park, Hasting.

·       Death: December 13, 1930 Dartford, Kent (S8d).  Listed as Herbert Arthur Luke age 56 an architect and surveyor who died at Clevil, Victoria Hill, Hextable. (Note: his death was listed in the 1^st QTR 1931 death register).

·       Wife: Death: 1^st QTR 1952 Dartford, Kent (S5d).  Listed as Marion I. Luke age 70.  March 9, 1952 Kent (S6). 

·       Wife’s Probate: June 4, 1952 London (S6).  Listed as Marion Isabel Luke of Windycroft Herongate Road, Hextable Swanley, Kent widow with effects £259, 18s., 1d. to Alan William Lyon retired civil servant.

3.     Percy Luke (1876-1963). 

·       Born: March 27, 1876 Brixton, Lambeth (S8b).   Listed as Percy Luke who was born at 31 Vaughan Road with parents Edwin Luke a fancy warehouseman and Sarah Ann Luke formerly Strange.

·       1881 Census: with parents (S4).  Listed as Percy Luke age 5 born in Camberwell, Surrey.

·       1891 Census: with parents (S4).  Listed as Percy Luke age 15 a commercial clerk employed born in Camberwell, Surrey (Note: his age is hard to read and is incorrectly listed a 5 in the census index).

·       1901 Census: with parents (S4).  Listed as Percy Luke age 25 a mercantile clerk worker born in Lambeth.

·       Marriage: January 1, 1908 St. Saviour Brixton Hill, Lambeth, (S8m), listed Percy Luke age 31 a bachelor and manufacturer’s agent whose father was Edwin Luke a gentleman and Amy Gertrude Archer age 29 a spinster.  January 1, 1908 St. Savior, Brixton Hill, Lambeth (S3), listed as Percy Luke age 31 a bachelor and manufacturers agent and the son of Edwin Luke a gentleman and Amy Gertrude Archer age 29 a spinster.

·       1911 Census: 4 Lownds Avenue, Bromley, Kent (S4).  Listed as Percy Luke age 35 a Manchester manufacturers assistant born in Lambeth, London with wife Amy Gertrude Luke age 33 born in Holloway, London.  They were married 3 years and had no children.

·       1919 Newspaper: Lancashire Evening Post newspaper dated March 25, 1919, page 5, column 2 (S=https://www.britishnewspaperarchives.co.uk) which indicated Mr. James John Bowton Saffery, of Peckham and London, age 78, a former bank chairman, has left the whole of his estate, of gross value of £15,366, to his manager Mr. Percy Luke, of Swanley Village, Kent.   Mr. Saffery’s estate passing to Mr. Luke is also listed in the Sheffield Daily Telegraph newspaper dated March 25, 1919, page 2, column 4 (S=https://www.britishnewspaperarchives. co.uk).

·       1939 Register: 299 The Cottage, Swanley Village, Dartford, Kent (S9).  Listed as Percy Luke who was born on March 27, 1876 an export textile agent with wife Amy G. Luke born on February 16, 1878.

·       Death: December 14, 1963 Dartford, Kent (S8d).  Listed as Percy Luke age 87 a retired shipping merchant who died at The Cottage, Swanley Village with the widow of the deceased as the informant.

 

 

Avery style needle cases stamped with the “E. Luke” name:

1.     Quad Sterling Silver - Christmas Gift: Mechanical patent #3517 registered November 19, 1868 registered by William Avery, needle manufacturer, and Albert Fenton, machinist, from Redditch (S=British Library - Business and Intellectual Property Centre, London).