Hermanus Lambertus LOOK
1841 - 1899 (55 years) Has 4 ancestors and more than 100 descendants in this family tree.
UNKNOWN - 1848
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Name Hermanus Lambertus LOOK [1, 2] Relationship 
with Rodney VOJVODICH Birth 12 May 1841 Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands 
Gender Male Immigration: Arr. 1854 Western Australia, Australia Per "Esmeralda" with Parents AKA Henry John; Herman Henri Looke Occupation 1875 Greenough, Western Australia, Australia Shopkeeper & hawker, salesman, Blacksmith Death Between 1897 and 1899 Western Australia, Australia Siblings 1. Petronella Magdalena LOOKE, b. 12 Sep 1844, Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands d. 8 Aug 1879, Guildford, Western Australia, Australia Patriarch & Matriarch 
Herman LOOK, b. 20 Mar 1815, Materborn, Kleve, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germanyd. 8 Feb 1904, Guildford, Western Australia, Australia (Age 88 years) (Father) 
Elizabeth Maggeltje ALOFS, b. UNKNOWN d. 23 Feb 1848, Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands (Mother) Siblings1 sister Half-siblings4 half brothers and 4 half sisters (family of Herman LOOK and Maria Cornelia TIMMERMAN) Person ID I1468 MyBradyTree
Father 
Herman LOOK, b. 20 Mar 1815, Materborn, Kleve, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany d. 8 Feb 1904, Guildford, Western Australia, Australia (Age 88 years)
Other Partners: Maria Cornelia TIMMERMAN m. 22 Aug 1849Mother Elizabeth Maggeltje ALOFS, b. UNKNOWN d. 23 Feb 1848, Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands Marriage 26 Sep 1838 Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands Family ID F16610 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Family 1 Sarah Ann KENNEDY, b. 1833, England d. 6 Jan 1875, Greenough Flats, Western Australia, Australia (Age 42 years)
Other Partners: Thomas ADAMS m. 1845; James ANDERSON m. 1859Marriage 1870 Perth, Western Australia, Australia [3] Reference Number #2931 Children + 1. Elizabeth Lilian LOOKE, b. 1870, Victoria Plains, Western Australia, Australia d. 1 Aug 1951, Perth, Western Australia, Australia (Age 81 years)â–» Edward Bolton SMYTH m. 18952. Mary Jane LOOKE, b. 1873, Greenough, Western Australia, Australia d. 1873, Greenough, Western Australia, Australia (Age 0 years)3. Unknown LOOKE, b. 1874, Greenough, Western Australia, Australia d. 1874, Greenough, Western Australia, Australia (Age 0 years)Family ID F864 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Family 2 Emma Jane ANDERSON, b. 17 Jun 1859, Toodyay, Western Australia, Australia d. Abt 1908 (Age 48 years)
Other Partners: Thomas Phillip GRANT m. 1905Marriage 19 Jan 1877 Greenough, Western Australia, Australia - Wesleyan Church
Reference Number #4253 Children 1. William Augustus LOOKE, b. 1876 d. DECEASED + 2. Maria Louisa LOOKE, b. 1877, Greenough, Western Australia, Australia d. 30 Sep 1937, Geraldton, Western Australia, Australia (Age 60 years)â–» John Thomas RUDDAWAY m. 19003. Amy Edith LOOKE, b. 1879, Greenough, Western Australia, Australia d. 1881 (Age 2 years)+ 4. Mabel Constance LOOKE, b. 7 Sep 1880, Greenough, Western Australia, Australia d. 12 Aug 1949, Midland, Western Australia, Australia (Age 68 years)â–» John James ANGEL m. 19015. Henry Augustus LOOKE, b. 1882, Greenough, Western Australia, Australia d. 1897 (Age 15 years)> 6. Petronella LOOKE, b. 1884, Greenough, Western Australia, Australia d. DECEASEDâ–» Philip MCGOWAN m. 1901+ 7. Emma Bertha LOOKE, b. 1887, Irwin, Western Australia, Australia d. 9 Mar 1951, North Perth, Western Australia, Australia (Age 64 years)â–» William KILMURRAY m. 2 Oct 1906+ 8. Mary Edith LOOKE, b. 1889, Dongara, Western Australia, Australia d. 25 Aug 1959, Western Australia, Australia (Age 70 years)â–» Frederick MCDERMOTT m. 16 Dec 1908+ 9. Frances Teresa LOOKE, b. 3 Jun 1891, Dongara, Western Australia, Australia d. 26 May 1959, Perth, Western Australia, Australia (Age 67 years)â–» John George RUSSELL m. 26 Oct 1905; Francis Gerald EDWARDS m. 12 Aug 1919> 10. Martha Minnie LOOKE, b. 1893, Dongara, Western Australia, Australia d. 1 Jul 1977, Inglewood, Western Australia, Australia (Age 84 years)+ 11. Sarah Josephine LOOKE, b. 24 Sep 1895, Dongara, Western Australia, Australia d. 3 Jun 1973, Claremont, Western Australia, Australia (Age 77 years)â–» Walter William COUNSEL m. 1914+ 12. Irwin Henry John LOOKE, b. 1897, Dongara, Western Australia, Australia d. 29 Sep 1961 (Age 64 years)â–» Vera Elizabeth FICKLING m. 1924Family ID F866 Group Sheet | Family Chart
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Event Map Click to hide 
Birth - 12 May 1841 - Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands 
Immigration: Arr. - Per "Esmeralda" with Parents - 1854 - Western Australia, Australia 
Marriage - 1870 - Perth, Western Australia, Australia 
Occupation - Shopkeeper & hawker, salesman, Blacksmith - 1875 - Greenough, Western Australia, Australia Marriage - 19 Jan 1877 - Greenough, Western Australia, Australia Death - Between 1897 and 1899 - Western Australia, Australia = Link to Google Earth Pin Legend 
: Address
: Location
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: County/Shire
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Notes - It is reputed that Herman Looke took his youngest son, Augustus when he went on "Hawking" trips. After they had failed to return from one of their trips, their bodies were found near a waterhole along with their horses supposedly having been speared to death by natives. They were identified by a gold watch that Henry had.
Henry (known as Herman Looke) was known as a hawker of goods and in the year 1897 he was travelling with his son Gus selling his wares from a horse drawn wagon. In the years between 1890-1897 it was the gold rush period in Western Australia. In 1897 Herman set out from Dongara with his son Henry (known as Gus) to prospect iin the cicinity of Wiluna.
Tragedy struck. In the "Book of Lonely Graves" it is stated that their deaths were from thirst. Father and son perished 18-20 miles from Darlot. The remains were not found until the spring of 1899. It was noted that two stray horses got away from them and in trying to catch them, they perished. Their remainswer found a good distance apart. Henry the father was found by the late Arthur Ashwin and mates who were prospecting in the spring of 1899.
Henry's remains were identified by a watch found with his bones. A few weeks later the natives reported to then Manager of the British King Mine, Mr. J A MacTear, that they had seen the Father soon after his death but never reported it, as they felt they would be blamed for the deaths. Both Father and son are buried in Darlot..
This story has also been written in "The Western Mail" dated 6th May 1937.
The following story I have found in Lonely Graves written by Yvonne & Kevin Coate. They have used the word Luke incorrectly for the surname and this should be replaced with Look or Looke.
Extract from the book - Lonely graves by Yvonne & Kevin Coate
Herman (Henry) died in the early part of 1897 age about 55 years- buried about 30 miles north-west of Lake Darlot by Messrs Diebert and Ashton.
Born 1841 the son of Maria & Herman Looke. He first married Sarah Anderson (widow of James Anderson) and later married Emma Jane Anderson (daughter of Sara Anderson). His shildren were Bessie- Lorrie- Mary- Sarah- Neil- Bertha- Minnie- May- Frances- Irwin and Gus. He and son Gus left to prospect in the vicinity of Wiluna and both perished. The remains of another victom of the wild 'rushes' that took place in the early days of the outlying goldfields was discovered. The clothes had rotted away from the bones and close by tree one-pound noteswere found. A piece of weather worn paper was also discovered on which a few words had been written. The only word that could be read was his name, "Looke". The head was resting on a water-bag, and a good pair of boots still adhered to the feet. The body had evidently lain there a considerable time, as many of the bones were scattered about.
The finding of the water bag under the head and the clothes adhering to the bones, pointed to the fact that the deceased did not die from thirst, as vistims to thirst usually strip themselves of clothing previous to death.
Messrs Diebert and Ashton, who were out prospecting, discovered the remains and collected the bones, Mr. A Ashton and party were prospecting between Darlot and Mount Sir Samuel, when they came across the bleaching skeleton, which had evidently been there a couple of years or more. They were the remains of a man of about 6 feet high, the hairs adhering to the skull being a reddish colour. The latest entry in an account book was dated November 1896 and the name on the book was H. Looke.
The theory in the neighbourhood was that the deceased was a teamster who was travelling from Mingenew to Mount Sir Samuel in the early part of the 1897. Subsequent enquires go to confirm this hypothesis. A man named Thomas Townsend of Mount Sir Samuel informed the Lawlers police that he knew Henry Looke, who was a teamster and carried grog and merchandise about the field. Looke left Lawlers for Lake Darlot sometime in 1897 with a wagon and two horses. He was accompanied by a lad about 15 years of age, presumably his son. Further enquires made at Cue described Looke as a native of Holland. Teh last person who saw him alive was a Police Constable stationed on the East Murchison, who recollected meeting and having a pitch with Looke and his son in the summer of 1896.
When sked what became of the son, there was no answer forthcoming. Later a second skeleton was found 7 or 8 miles nearer Darlot than where the first was found. Mr M. Tear JP, who went out from Darlot to make enquiries, expressed himself satisfied that the remains were those of the younger Looke. The bones and clothing had been torn to pieces by dingoes and scattered about for yards, but apparently there was sufficient to identify the deceased. The remains were taken back to Darlot and interned. The elder Looke's widow resided at Dongara.
Mr AW Reid Emu Point in recent years was reminded of his grand-uncle Luke and teenage son, who perished in the Darlot area around 1896. He said they were of Dutch descent and their name was spelt either Looke or Luke.
Further Reference: Kalgoorlie Miner - 15.9.1899; Murchison Advocate - 16.9.1899 2e; 23.9.18992e; 14.10.1899 2e; 25.11.1899 2c; Police Report AN 5/1 Acc 430 4475/1899; Geralton Express - 22.9.1899 & 29.9.1899; Coolgardie Pioneer - 23.9.1899; Leonora Miner - 23.12.1899.
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This person known as HENRY JOHN LOOKE.
When he arrived (aged 13) on the "Esmeralda" 1854 with his parents and siblings he was listed in passenger lists as HERMAN JNR. The Surname was LOOK. All records from that point on have him as HENRY JOHN LOOKE, except where misspellings occur such as LUKE or COOKE.
The Police report of the deaths from thirst near Lake Darlot is interesting reading. The Police never felt that the father and son were murdered or speared by natives, they accepted that they had died of thirst. They referred the deaths to the Coroner but he decided that there was no need for an inquest and there was absolutely no doubt of the identity of the bodies. The valuables being a watch, pocket knife, three pound notes, account book etc were returned to his wife Emma Jane Looke at Dongara who signed for them. The Police seemed to think that Looke and son were possibly selling illicit whisky to prospectors. They each had a miner's right on them but no prospecting tools with them. Their wagon with 4 or 5 horses was retrieved by somebody in a nearby settlement and kept. The Police advised Emma Jane that they could do nothing to get them back but she was free to take a civil action against the people who had the wagon and horses.
At the time of the disappearance, HENRY owed money to Samuel Fortescue Moore for goods supplied. Moore clearly was anxious about the fate of the debt when Henry had not been heard of for over 6 months in 1897.
With Henry's bones baking under the West Australian sun, Moore commenced Bankrupty proceeding in the Supreme Court of WA, petitioning for the sum of 313 pounds:13:3. The Supreme Court ruled that service of documents on his wife Emma Jane Looke was sufficient service, as she could inform HENRY as soon as his whereabouts became known. I'm sure the bankruptcy proceedings did not worry Henry as he lay in the sun at Lake Darlot, but for Emma Jane it must have been additional worry.
HENRY LOOKE was declared bankrupt on 14 November 1899, the Supreme Court probably unaware that he was dead and a body recently found. I think that there was never a death certificate issued. An order for Summary Administration of his estate did not go through until 17 August 1915.
The Supreme Court records of the bankruptcy proceedings are held at State Records Office Perth reference 1897/111 Consignment 3560.
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Henry Looke Jnr inserted a notice in the Perth Gazette 30 March 1869 as follows:
NOTICE!
In consequence of about to remove from the district, all accounts due to MRS LOOKE, formerly known as MRS ANDERSON, of Newcastle, Boot and Shoe maker, are required to be paid to the undersigned, or otherwise satisfactorily arranged, on or before the 14th of April, or proceedings will be taken for recovery of same without delay. H. LOOKE JUN.
Newcastle, March 30 1869
So from this notice we conclude that she did retain ownership of the Boot and Shoemaking business on the death of her husband James Anderson in 1867.
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Gary Angel - 2009 - gary-at-gidgenet.com.au
Reference #BFTWA. "Hermanus Lambertus LOOK". Brady Family Tree in Western Australia. https://www.bradyfamilytree.org/genealogy/getperson.php?personID=I1468&tree=BRADY2008 (accessed June 16, 2025).
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