Luder Krudop

The Krudop family story in Australia begins with Luder KRUDOP, who was born in Wolda, Hanover, Germany, in 1823.   His parents were farmers, an occupation he also entered when he was older.  He worked with his parents until he immigrated to South Australia, at 23 years of age.

Luder embarked on the 500 ton barque Pauline, under Captain Lüder Stelljes, from Bremen, Germany, leaving on the 30th May 1846.  The cabin held six passengers and steerage held two hundred and five men, women and children. Concerted effort had been used to entice miners to emigrate to work at the Burra Mines.  The passengers were originally reported to be miners, but in actual fact many of the men were mechanics and handicraftsmen.

The four month journey came to an end when the barque arrived at Port Adelaide, on 27th September 1846.

The long journey would have provided time for the passengers to become acquainted with each other.  Some friendships lasted many years.

Luder did not waste time and quickly began working.  He bought a team of bullocks, and was carrying for some time.  He was naturalised on 20 January 1854, and he gave his residence as Pine Forest near Adelaide.  His profession, as he had stated on the shipping list coming to Australia, was still farmer. 

Not long after arrival in South Australia he purchased a piece of land at Hindmarsh close to Adelaide.

On the ship Pauline were fellow German passengers Johannes Bussenchutt and Herman Koch.  Johannes was also born in Walle, and aged 50 when he immigrated to South Australia.  He brought his wife and five children, and the elder ones were around the same age as Luder.  Another passenger Herman Frederick Koch was also born in Walle.  They also boarded the Pauline with their five young children. 

For a brief time, Luder lived and worked at Hope Valley with other German families who also travelled on the Pauline.  It is noted in the Cyclopaedia of South Australia that he opened a public-house at Hope Valley, which he kept for some years.  Luder however does not appear as licensee of any hotel.  The first licensee of the Bremen hotel in Hope Valley was Herman Frederick Koch, so it is possible that they worked together.

He is also noted to have worked the first reaper in the Colony for Mr. John Ridley, at Hindmarsh.

Gold fever had hit the colony and the prospect of becoming rich enticed many men to try their hand at gold prospecting.  Luder  went to the Victorian Diggings, where he stayed for twelve months, being fairly successful. On his return, he settled on the Gawler Plains, near Angle Vale, and took up about 640 acres of land, for some of which he paid as much as £12 per acre. He had 400 acres under cultivation, and the rest he used for grazing stock. His homestead was on section 3294, facing Angle Vale road.

Thoughts of marriage and starting a family must have been on Luder’s mind.  On 7 December 1852, Luder wed 17 year old Mary O’Grady at St Johns church, Adelaide.

Of his wife Mary O’Grady nothing is known, it can be assumed she passed away as Luder remarried.  His second wife, a widow was born Louisa Higgins in 1832, presumably in England.  Louisa was only a child of five when her parents Thomas and Mary and siblings, Thomas, Lucinda, Edna, and Henry, sailed from Gravesend to the new colony on the Navarino in 1837.

 A young bride at 17, Louisa had married Stephen Shutter on March 31st 1849 at Gawler.  Stephen was born in Bath, England around 1812.  The couple were married for ten years before Stephen tragically died on 6 July 1859 at Gawler.  They farmed a property they named “Gum Park Farm” on the Gawler River.

Luder and Louisa’s paths would have certainly crossed in the small farming community.  Having four small children Louisa would have sought marriage.  Stephen is reported to have died intestate. A case in the Court of law was conducted as to wether Louisa should receive all goods, chattels, credits and effects of her deceased husband.

The couple became actively involved with the local community.  In 1873 he was appointed constable and also served on the local council for the District of Munno Para West in 1878. married at the newly constructed St George’s Anglican church in Gawler on the 27 July 1859, almost a year after Stephen Shutter died.

Louisa died on 5th November, 1899 aged 67, at Gawler River; and Luder lived on to be 100 and 5 months old when he passed away near Angle Vale on the 24th June 1920.  He made the papers on his 99th birthday with a brief biography about his life.

Mr. Krudop, of Angle Vale, celebrated his ninety-ninth birthday on Saturday last says the Gawler "Bunyip". He was born near Hanover in 1819 and came to South Australia in September, 1846, thus being a colonist of 72 years. The old gentleman’s still hale and hearty, and gets about his own property at Angle Vale. His wife died 20 years ago. The family consists of one son and one daughter--Mr. Newton Krudop and Mrs A Heise  Port Adelaide.

The Advertiser Saturday 2 November 1918

On his 100^th birthday it was recorded in the Advertiser (Friday 25 June 1920) his passing.  Luder was in his full possession of his faculties and his sight and hearing were good.  He was treated to a motor ride on his birthday, the first of his life.  He was interred at Gawler.

Luder was survived by his son Newton who never married and had no children.

Luder as a young man had the desire to work hard and carve a place for himself in the new colony.  He was fortunate to have had the support of friends from his hometown in the early years, with whom he worked and lived for a time.  He married had children was a father to his second wife’s children and a successful farmer.  He was blessed with longevity and was able to watch his family grow and expand and develop the area of Angle Vale.