Andrew Lang Petrie was born in Brisbane on 25 June 1854, the eldest son of John Petrie and Jane Keith McNaught. He married Margaret Aird, the daughter of John Aird and Margaret Ballantine, in Brisbane on 4 January 1877. They had the following children:
Margaret Jessie Petrie, born in Brisbane on 2 November 1883
His wife Margaret died in Brisbane on 9 November 1883 aged 30 years, probably from complications of childbirth, and is buried in Toowong Cemetery with other members of her Aird family. On 14 April 1886 in Brisbane, he remarried, this time to Eliza Anne Agnes Luya. They had the following children:
Andrew Luya Petrie, born in Brisbane on 29 January 1887
Eric Sandford Petrie, born in Brisbane on 21 August 1888
Harold Petrie, born in Brisbane on 6 August 1889, died in Brisbane on 16 August 1889, buried Toowong Cemetery
Andrew Lang Petrie died at 52 George Street, Brisbane on 1 April 1928 aged 73 years and was buried in Toowong Cemetery with his son Harold. His second wife Agnes died on 10 December 1942 aged 82 years and was cremated at the Mt Thompson Crematorium on 11 December 1942. On 6 May 1943 her ashes were interred with husband Andrew and son Harold in Toowong Cemetery.
Business life
In 1882, Andrew Lang Petrie took over the management of the family business from his father John Petrie; the business was renamed 'John Petrie & Son'. At that time, the business included cabinet making and joinery, brick-making, Tile-making and monumental masonry. He relocated the business from its location on the corner of Queen Street and Wharf Street to a location alongside the gates of Toowong Cemetery. Due to the depression, the business experienced financial difficulties and insolvency proceedings commenced in early 1894. The business was eventually revived but focussed solely on monumental masonry.
Public life
Andrew Lang Petrie was appointed to the Toombul Division Board in 1885 and was re-elected without opposition for a further three years. In that role he was instrumental in achieving the separation of the Hamilton Division from Toombul Division and was the first chairman of the Hamilton Divisional Board. Andrew Lang Petrie was elected as representative of the Electoral district of Toombul to the Legislative Assembly of Queensland on 20 April 1893 in the 1893 state election. However, his insolvency proceedings in January 1894 forced him to resign the seat, effective 5 July 1893, triggering a by-election. However, he was able to negotiate an arrangement with his creditors and avoid bankruptcy in time to nominate for re-election at the by-election. He was successful in the by-election and then held the seat through many successive elections. In July 1925, he announced that he would retire at the 1926 election, thus completing his time on parliament on 8 May 1926. During that time, he was affiliated with the following groups or political parties:
