Agnes Lakeman

Surname:

Lakeman

Given names:

Agnes

Given address:

Main St Gore

Sheet No: 72

Town/Suburb:

Gore

City/Region:

Southland

Notes:

Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley

Agnes Anna Henderson Lake was born in 1846 in Devon, England – the daughter of Michael Lake, a railway ganger, and Jane Murray.

Her mother appears to have died in the late 1850’s and her father re-married in 1860.

In 1869 the family emigrated to Victoria on the Southern Empire.

Also on board was Alfred Lakeman accompanied by his wife Ann and three year old daughter Alice.

Alfred’s wife died on the voyage and Agnes and Alfred married the following year.

They had two daughters in Victoria (See 72 A E Lakeman and 72 E Lakeman) before they came to New Zealand in 1873 and settled in Dunedin where they had a further five children, one who died in infancy.

They lived in Caversham where Agnes “conducted a private school” and Alfred was “employed on the New Zealand Railways”.

In the mid 1880’s the family moved to Gore where Agnes “set up a fruit and confectionery business in the town, which she carried on until 1905, when she established a boarding house”. Alfred died in 1916 and twenty years later “a happy celebration was arranged” for Agnes’ 90th birthday.

Agnes died on 14 May 1940 – she is buried with Alfred in the Gore Cemetery.

Her obituary said she “took a keen interest in social affairs, and she was associated with many organisations in the town for social advancement.”