Background
Lukis was born in Louisiana Grange, Saint Peter Portuguese, Guernsey. His father was a member of the Royal Guernsey militia who made a fortune in the "slightly murky world" of privateering and importing expensive wine.
anthropologist archaeologist prehistorian
Lukis was born in Louisiana Grange, Saint Peter Portuguese, Guernsey. His father was a member of the Royal Guernsey militia who made a fortune in the "slightly murky world" of privateering and importing expensive wine.
Already in his youth Lukis became interested in natural history, and probably attended Elizabeth College.
He was the youngest of the four children of Sarah (née Collings. 1749–1816) and Captain John Lukis (1753–1832). He was strongly influenced by his elderly relative, the botanist Joshua Gosselin (1739–1813), who took him to his first excavation at a recently discovered artificial cavern.
The experience triggered a lifelong passion for the protection of the island"s heritage.
Like his father, he served in the island"s militia, becoming a colonel and aide-de-camp to the island"s last governor William Keppel. Lukis died at the house he was born in.
His living descendants include the actor Adrian Lukis and Michael Beaumont, 22nd Seigneur of Sark.
He became a member of the Society of Antiquaries of London on 28 April 1853, but never published in the Society"s journal, Archaeologia.