Francis Vyvyan Luke

Francis Vyvyan Luke was born in Helston , Cornwall, in 1792. The eldest son of Stephen Luke, a physician and sometime mayor of Helston. Francis went up to Jesus College, Cambridge in 1812 and was awarded his MA in 1826. He was ordained as a priest and served as curate of Weeting from 1838 to 1864.

Luke married Agnes Eliza, the daughter of a Dr Ramsden. Whilst in Weeting the Lukes lived in the Rectory with their four children and three servants. Francis died in Jersey in 1875, leaving a personal estate valued at £361 14s, which had to administered by a local solicitor, as his son had moved to India.

In 1848 he published "A Sermon [On 1 Cor. Xv, 57] After The Funeral Of Mrs. Angerstein" and four years later wrote a "History of the Parish of Weeting". This remain unpublished until the manuscript was discovered in the Norfolk County Archive by members of the Weeting History Group. The transcribed work was then published thanks to the support from the National Lottery. Copies of the book are available from our bookshop.

You can read about Francis Vyvyan Luke , and other notable characters from the village's past in the book "Weeting Worthies". Copies are available from the group - please visit our sales page.