FAMILY MEMORIES Bertha HENRY aged 18 years married Francis LUTTGENS (born at Carlton) aged 21, occupation Bootmaker at Melbourne on 5th November 1895.
Francis (Known as Frank) was the son of Franz LUTTGENS and his second wife - Johanna Christina KORB.
His father Franz LUTTGENS and Elizabeth Maien/Majar/Myers (who died in 1863) daughter of Mary and Henry MYERS of Hanover, came to Australia in 1855 and lived in Melbourne. Franz LUTTGENS had 15 children. Four Children by his first wife Elizabeth MYERS:
1. John Luttgens 1856 #11274 lived 1 day 2. Unnamed Female Luttgens 1857 #13843 3. John Luttgens 1859 #6348 4. Johanna Wilhelmina Luttgens 1861 #11963 lived 1 year
And 11 children by his second wife (who he married in 1864) - Johanna Christina KORB.
5. Francis Luttgens died 1865 #1717 aged 15 weeks 6. Charles Luttgens died 1865 #9526 aged 9 days 7. Augustus Luttgens died 1867 #6142 aged 13 weeks 8. William Luttgens 1868 #10633 lived 9 months 9. William Luttgens 1869 #23570 10. Julia Johanna Louisa Luttgens 1871 #10642 11. Francis Luttgens 1874 #24024 12. Andrew Luttgens 1877 #1019 - 1887 #9377 lived 8 years 13. Annie Luttgens 1879 #1129 14. Emma Luttgens 1881 #7679 15. George Luttgens 1883 #1144F
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It was child number 11, Francis (Frank) who married Bertha HENRY and had 8 children.
On Friday 12 January 1923, this notice appeared in The Argus, Melbourne.
DEATH. LUTTGENS - on the 11 January, at Mordialloc (accidentally drowned). Frank, beloved husband of Bertha and father of Frank, Edith (Ms Bryan), Dorothy, Bertha, Lorna, Joyce and Valetta.
Apparently, Francis (Frank) George LUTTGENS, retired businessman and Charles JAMES, a retired grocer spent a day or two on a fishing trip, fishing for whiting off Werribee. On the trip back to Mordialloc, the sea unleased one of its unforgiving moods - heavy waves with a strong, southerly gusts. Both men realised any attempt to anchor at the pier would be hazardous. But Luttgens banked on his 22 years experience and decided it was a gamble worth taking. As the boat approached the pier, Luttgens reversed gear by but the motor did not respond. Luttgens took position at the front near the anchor leaving James in control of the vessel. The heavy seas washed the boat under the pier and it bumped onto one of the piles causing Luttgens to fall overboard. He cried "Help" as Charles James tried to unravel the rope of the lifebuoy. A treacherous wave was believed to have struck Luttgens against the pier rendering him unconscious. His body was located two hours later on rocks about one mile away.
This article appeared in the Adelaide Advertiser on Friday 12 January 1923.
A MOTOR BOAT FATALITY. Melbourne, January 11.
Mr Francis G Luttgens was drowned while attempting to leave the shelter of the Mordialloc Creek in his motor boat this afternoon. As he cast off a heavy wave threw his craft against a pile. The boat was recovered, but an instant later another sea hit it and the anchor fell overboard. Onlookers were horror-stricken to see that Mr Luttgens intended trying to recover the anchor. He overbalanced and slipped overboard. A lifebelt was thrown from the shore, but he could not reach it and sank. His body was not recovered until an hour later.
Another article was found in The Argus, Melbourne on Tuesday 16 January 1923.
RECENT BOATING ACCIDENT. To the Editor of the Argus. In reference to an account of a boating accident at Mordialloc which you published on Friday. Mr Luttgens was not a boatman, but a retired business man and bought a motor boat for fishing for pleasure. The sad accident that cost him his life happened when he was returning accompanied by Mr James from a two day fishing trip at Werribee. He tried to enter the creek to his mooring, but the sea being so rough, forced his boat against the pier. Mr Luttgens reversed gear but his engine would not respond. In throwing his anchor overboard, he overbalanced and being carried away by the waves was drowned. Yours sincerely C E James, Brunswick June 15th.
About 6 or 7 years after the death of her first husband, Bertha, aged 52 married William Henry FORD (widow, farmer) of Katandra (aged 77) in 1929 or 1930. William died at age 80 in 1933 at Bertha's home in Barkly Street Mordialloc. William Henry FORD was buried with first wife, Janet FORD (nee DONALDSON) at Katandra. When Bertha FORD died in 1959, she was buried with her first husband, Frank Luttgens at Cheltenham Old Cemetery.
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