William Balkwill Luke (1857-1930)

Dates

Birth: October-December 1857 Hoxton, Middlesex, UK
Father: William Luke 1826-1896
Mother: Grace Balkwill 1830-1911

Christening: Unknown

Marriage: October-December 1892 Lewisham, London, UK
Wife: Edith Rosa Bourne 1869-1948

Death: 28 September 1930 Willesden General Hospital, Harlesden, Middlesex, UK

Children

Mary Irene Luke 1894-1979
Helen Grace Luke 1896-1977
William Bourne B Luke 1899-1899
Frederick Alan Balkwill Luke 1900-1972

Notes

Birth of William Balkwill Luke in FreeBMD in October-December 1857 in Shoreditch (1c 175) which included Hoxton.

His sister was born in Tiverton, Devon in January-March 1860.

In the 1861 census as William B Luke aged 3, born in Hoxton, Middlesex, and living with his parents (William and Grace), two sisters (Jane B and Martha A) and widowed grandmother (Oringe B) in St Andrew Street, Tiverton, Devon.

In the 1871 census as William B Luke aged 13, born in Hoxton, London, single, and living at Prospect (a commercial school with some 25 boys aged 4 to 16 and 4 students aged 20-21), Shebbear, Devon. Was this Shebbear College?

In the 1881 census as William B Luke aged 23, born in Hoxton, Middlesex, single, a Jnr Examiner Exchequer & Audit Dpt (C S Off) and living with a visitor (Francis C. Luke aged 16, born in Southamprton, Hampshire and a Savings Bank Dpt G P O (Serv)) at 24 Kilburn Square, Willesden, Middlesex. Two other families shared this address.

There are two entries in Ancestry All London, England, Overseer Returns, 1863-1894 for William Balkwill Luke address 186 Carlton Road, Kilburn, Willesden, tenement 169 Malvern Road Kilburn (first floor and anteroom) in 1885 and 64 Princess Road, Kilburn, Willesden in 1886

In the 1891 census as William B Luke aged 33, born in Hoxton, Middlesex, single, a civil service examiner and living with his brother (Henry J Luke aged 19, born in St Helier, Jersey, a house keeper and his family (Walter E D Cooper aged 41, born in West Wicombe, Buckinghamshire and a waiter, his wife Mary A aged 38 and born in Tetsworth, Oxfordshire, two sons Frank aged 15, born in Battersea, Surrey, and a page, and Herbert aged 6 and born in Walthamstow, Essex, and a daughter Jessie aged 11 and born in Battersea, Surrey) and a servant (Mary A Pearson aged 19, born in Moorhouse, Nottinghamshire and single) at 64 Princess Road, Willesden, Middlsex.

Marriage of William Balkwill Luke and Edith Rosa Bourne in FreeBMD in October-December 1892 in Lewisham (1d 1796).

His three children were born in Willesden in 1894, 1896 and 1900.

In the 1901 census as William Luke aged 43, born in Hoxton, Middlesex, a retired examiner at H M Exchequer and Audit Department, and living with his wife (Edith), son (Frederick), two daughters (Helen and Mary), a visitor (Kate Pilbeam aged 37, born in St Pancras, London, widowed and a trained monthly nurse), and two servants (Emma Carter aged 16, born in Plaistow, Essex and a nurse, and Ellen James aged 22, born in Torrington, Devon and a general servant, both single) at Leinster Lodge, Leinster Road, Willesden, Middlesex.

In the 1911 census as William Balkwill Luke aged 53, born in Hoxton, London, a retired civil servant and living with his wife (Edith Rosa), son (Frederic Alen Balkwill), daughter (Helen Grace) and a servant (Margaret Langgrith aged 24, born in Germany, single and a domestic housemaid) in nine rooms at 12 Leinster Road, Kilburn N W, Middlesex.

Thirteen entries in Ancestry London, England, Electoral Registers, 1832-1965 for William Balkwill Luke address 64 Princess Road, Kilburn NW, Harrow in 1887 to 1898, Leinster House, Leinster Road, Kilburn NW, Harrow in 1902 to 1906, 12 Leinster Road, Kilburn NW6, Harrow in 1914 to 1929, other occupants Edith Rosa Luke (wife?), Frederick Alan Balkwill Luke (son?) in 1929, and Helen Grace Luke (daughter?) in 1929.

There are 10 entries in Ancestry British Phone Books, 1880-1984 between 1926 and 1931 for William B Luke, JP, address 12 Leinster Road, NW6 number MAIda Vale 2361

Death of William B Luke in FreeBMD in July-September 1930 aged 72 in Willesden (3a 254).

Entry in Ancestry England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966 for William Balkwill Luke died on 28 September 1930 in Middlesex, probate 28 November 1930 London. "Luke William Balkwill of 12 Leinster-road Kilburn Middlesex died 28 September 1930 at Willesden General Hospital Harlesden Middlesex Probate London 28 November to Edith Rosa Luke widow Helen Grace Luke spinster and Frederick Alan Balkwill Luke company director. Effects £8280 14s. 11d."

There are 10 entries in Ancestry British Phone Books, 1880-1984 between 1926 and 1931 for William B Luke, JP, address 12 Leinster Road, NW6 number MAIda Vale 2361

There are entries in Amazon for Sir Wilfrid Lawson authored by William Balkwill Luke and Wilfrid Lawson published about 1900, Lord Milner etc by William Balkwill Luke and Alfred Milner published 1901, Memorials of Frederick William Bourne ... With two portraits by William Balkwill Luke and Frederick William Bourne published 1906 and Letters to a "Bible Christian." by William Balkwill Luke published 1915.

There is an entry in The Straits Times, 4 November 1930 for Mr W B Luke

Tactful Magistrate Dies At Age of 73
Mr. William Balkwill Luke, of Willesden, who was well known for his tact in dealing with matrimonial cases that came before him as a Justice of the Peace, died in Willesden General Hospital last month. Mr. Luke, who was 73, had been a magistrate at Willesden since 1896. Born at Honiton, Devon, he was the son of the Rev. William Luke, who was for many years minister at Percy Road Primitive Methodist Church, Kilburn. He twice unsuccessfully contested the Honiton Division as a liberal. He was formerly chairman of the Education Committee of the Willesden Council and a member of the Standing Joint Committee of the Middlesex County Council.

Entry in The Tablet 4 October 1930 Page 32.

MR. W. B. Luke, J.P.
Mr. William Balkwill Luke, the doyen of the Willesden Magisterial Bench, died on Sunday last, we regret to state, in Willesden General Hospital. His most abiding monument, it is not too much to say, rests in the memories and hearts of many hundreds of poor persons who took to him their matrimonial squabbles and troubles and were directed so wisely and well that these differences were happily composed. Mr. Luke had, indeed, a special aptitude for the duties of the Bench. He was not easily humbugged; but he had a wide and tolerant understanding of human nature, and in an advisory capacity he seemed to have always the happy knack of "putting his finger on the spot," diagnosing the cause of an applicant's particular trouble, and prescribing the right course in a few wise words. He had humour, too, so that the Willesden Police Court supplied an almost daily bon mot to the evening papers; yet he never played lightly, in wit, with the tragic side of any case before him. It is, however, as a healer of matrimonial differences that he will be best remembered. Mr. Luke was born at Honiton, Devon, in 1857, and was educated at Shebbear and at Victoria College, Jersey. The son of a Primitive Methodist minister, he was brought up in the Nonconformist atmosphere and principles; and his reception into the Catholic Church, in 1912, made considerable stir among his non-Catholic friends. Mr. Luke was a Liberal in politics. In 1906, and again in 1910, he unsuccessfully contested his native place. He married, in 1892, Edith, daughter of the late Rev. F. W. Bourne, of Catford. A book of Memorials of that gentleman, and another work on The Justice of the Peace On and Off the Bench, represent his literary output, apart from occasional letters on Catholic and other topics. Mr. Luke was at one time a member of the Willesden District Council, and Chairman of the Higher Education Committee.—R.I.P.

Relationship

William Balkwill Luke was the husband of Edith Rosa Bourne, daughter of Frederick William Bourne, husband of Adelaide Chalcraft, my fifth cousin three times removed.

Return to Luke Gendex.
Return to Croucher Gendex.
Return to Croucher Home Page.