Early New Zealand Photographers: April 2023

William Lane

Mr William Lane a well-known and very highly esteemed resident of Motueka who had been a patient in the Nelson hospital for the last eight months passed away early on Sunday morning after a long illness. The late Mr Lane, who was in his 73rd year, was born at Nottinghill Gate, Kensington, London in 1861. After leaving school he served in the plumbing and house decorating trades, and later sailed for South Africa, arriving at Cape Town and proceeding north to Rhodesia, where he took up photography.

During the Boer War he saw service with the Field Artillery. Leaving Africa Mr Lane went to Australia and after spending some time in Sydney and Brisbane, came to New Zealand. He resided in Dunedin, Wellington and Ratahei where he built a number of residences. After a sojourn in Nelson deceased went to Riwaka where he married Miss Henrietta Askew. He built a home for himself in Motueka and had premises in High street where he carried on a plumbing and house-decorating business until some eighteen months ago, when compelled by ill-health to cease work.

The late Mr Lane did a great deal of good work for the soldiers during the war, and afterwards for the returned men, all of whom found in him a sympathetic friend ever ready to help any one in need. In return for his many services he was made a life member of the Motueka branch of the Returned Soldiers’ Association. Mr Lane was keenly interested in bowling, tennis and football. He was one of the original members of the Motueka Bowling Club, also a life member, and donated the championship boards and the “Lane” singles championship cup, besides helping the club in many ways. He was patron of the Central Tennis Club, Riwaka, for a number of years and was also connected with the' Wanderer and Tikaokao football clubs, being a life member of the latter.

Mr Lane will be very much missed in the Motueka and Riwaka districts by a large. number of friends whose sympathy is extended to his widow and his one son, William Keith Lane. The funeral took place to-day at the Motueka cemetery.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 24 July 1934, page 4