Summary
Yet to be summarised.
Parents and family
Alfred's family were in
Bardfield
Saling
From Alfred's Marriage Certificate (1873) his father was one John Hicks,
labourer. From the 1841 Census it appears that Alfred HICKS' parents were
therefore John HICKS and Sarah. One Alfred Hicks was baptised by John and
Sarah Hicks on 20 Jun 1841, in St Paul and St Peter's church, Bardfield
Saling (aka Little Saling), Essex.
Birth
Alfred George Hicks was born Jun 1841 and appears on the 1841 Census
at New Green, Bardfield Saling. At that time the family unit comprised:
- John HICKS, 30, ag lab, born in county
- Sarah HICKS, 20, , born in county
- Susannah HICKS, 10, , born in county
- Emma HICKS, 9, , born in county
- Rebecca HICKS, 4, , born in county
- Alfred HICKS, 1 month, , born in county
- Henry HICKS, 2, , born in county
All ages over 20 appear to have been converted to multiples of 5 years.
The name Rebecca is not too clear and could be Ranna and therefore a
transcription error for Hanna (the details on the census forms are
transcribed from the original returns).
Listed next to them is another unit comprising :
- Jonas HICKS, 25, ag lab, born in county
- Eliza HICKS, 25, , born in county
Childhood and education
I have been unable to locate Alfred on the 1851 Census, when he would have
been 10. This is probably because he was still in Bardfield Saling, Essex,
one of a handful of areas for which no 1851 Census records exist.
Employment, agricultural labourer
On the 1861 Census he appears at Wards Farm, Writtle, Essex. There is a
Ward's Farm about 2 km SE of Writtle and in the hamlet of Highwood.
- Frederic F. MEAD, Head, Mar[ried], 30, Farmer of 185 [acres,
employing] 4 men & 1 boy, Essex, Good Easter
- Frederic F. MEAD, Son, , 10, , Hants, Sawbridgwrth
- Edward MEAD, Son, , 8, , Essex, Margaret Roding
- Herbert MEAD, Son, , 6, , Essex, Writtle
- Martha MEAD, Daur, , 4, , Essex, Braintree
- Ellen MORTLOCK, Visitor, Un[married], 24, Essex, Braintree
- Sarah STOCK, Housekeeper, Un, 25, Housekeeper, Essex, Writtle
- Georgiana READ, Servant, Un, 17, Servant, Essex, Doddinghurst
- Alfred HICKS, Servant, Un, 19, Servant, Essex, Sailing
Listed next but one before this are a PERRY family (Samuel 42 and Martha
44).
By the 1871 Census he had moved and was listed at Duck Lane, Thornwood,
North Weald Bassett, Essex. Thornwood is today Thornwood Common
He was boarding with the family of his brother-in-law William STOCK.
At that time the family comprised -
- William STOCK, Head, Mar[ried], 37, ag lab, Essex, Stebbing
- Susannah STOCK, Wife, Mar, 38, , Essex, Little Sailing
- Frederick STOCK, Son, 12, ag lab, Essex, Stebbing
- Harry STOCK, Son, 10, scholar, Essex, Stebbing
- Kate STOCK, Daur, 7, scholar, Essex, Stebbing
- Alfred HICKS, Boarder, Unm[arried], 30, ag lab, Essex,
Little Sailing
In 1849 Alfred's elder sister Susannah appears to have married
James GROUT of Stebbing (abt 1824-1863). However, during the period 1861
to 1871 both Susannah GROUT (nee HICKS) and William STOCK appear to have
lost lost their respective spouses and been left with at least four
children apeice. One can therefore imagine that Alfred HICKS and the
Housekeeper Sarah STOCK, with whom he worked in 1861, may have been
intrumental in the couple getting together.
Marriage, to Phoebe Stevens
In 1873 Alfred married
Phoebe
Catherine STEVENS. For 2 June 1873, the Marriages Register for St
Alban's Church, Theydon Garnon Parish, Essex, records the following
marriage -
Groom:
Alfred HICKS, age 30, bachelor, labourer, resident of Coopersale. Son
of John HICKS Labourer.
Bride: Phoebe STEVENS, age 23,
Spinster, Servant, resident of Coopersale. Daughter of John STEVENS,
Labourer.
Witnessed by William STOCK & Anne
Maria STEVENS.
William STEVENS was almost certainly the brother-in-law mentioned above as
Theydon Garnon and Thornwood are reasonably close to one another. Anne
Maria STEVENS was probably Phoebe's sister Anna who was born in Wanstead
in 1856. Coopersale lies on the eastern outskirts of the town of Epping,
Essex. Phoebe faile to give her middle name 'Catherine' at this point but
her middle initial 'C' appears on the 1891 Census.
The Epping years
The obituary of Phoebe HICKS places the move to Epping Green in about
1878. However, from their marriage certificate and the birthplaces of
their children, it appears that they lived in that vacinity from the time
they married.
In about 1874, the couple had their first son, Alfred William
HICKS, for whom later census records give a place of birth of Epping,
Essex.
In about 1875, the couple had their second son, Ernest
Henry HICKS, for whom later census records give a place of birth of
Epping, Essex.
In about 1877, the couple had their third son, Herbert James
HICKS, for whom later census records give a place of birth of Epping,
Essex.
The Loughton years
About 1879 he established a bakers and confectioners business in Goldings
Hill, Loughton, Essex. However the business proved unsuccessful (from a
detail in the obituary of P HICKS).
In about 1879, the couple had their first daughter, Florence Susannah
HICKS, for whom later census records give a place of birth of
Loughton, Essex. . The middle names given to the couple's first son and
daughter (William and Susannah), suggest that they were close to Alfred's
sister Susannah and her husband William STOCK.
Around 1880, the couple had their fourth son, Edward G HICKS, for
whom later census records give a place of birth of Loughton, Essex.
Around 1881, the couple had their fifth son, John Percy
HICKS, for whom the 1881 census records give a place of birth of Loughton,
Essex.
On the 1881 Census the family were living at Pump Hill, Loughton, Essex.
At that time the family comprised -
- Alfred HICKS, Head, M[arried], 38, General Labourer,
Essex, Saling
- Phoebe HICKS, Wife, M, 30, , Essex, Wansted
- Alfred HICKS, Son, , 7, Scholar, Essex, Epping
- Ernest H. HICKS, Son, , 5, Scholar, Essex, Epping
- Herbert J. HICKS, Son, , 4, Scholar, Essex, Epping
- Florence S. HICKS, Daur, , 2, , Essex, Epping
- Edward G. HICKS, Son, , 1, , Essex, Epping
- John P. HICKS, Son, , 1m, , Essex, Epping
In about 1882 John Percy HICKS died in infancy.
In 1882, the couple had their second daughter, Phoebe Louisa HICKS,
for whom the 1891 census records give a place of birth of Loughton, Essex.
Around 1884, the couple had their sixth son, Arthur George HICKS, for
whom the 1891 census records give a place of birth of Loughton, Essex.
Around 1886, the couple had their third daughter, Elizabeth Fanny
(=Frances?) HICKS, for whom the 1891 census records give a place of birth
of Loughton, Essex.
Around 1886, the couple had their fourth daughter, Sarah Ann HICKS,
for whom the 1891 census records give a place of birth of Loughton, Essex.
By the 1891 Census the family were listed alongside the Kings Head,
High Road, Loughton. At that time the publican was one William
Macklin of Marlboro, Wilts. The Kings Head building remains, though
somewhat altered, and in 2008 it was called The Fox. At that
time the family comprised:
- Alfred HICKS, Head, M[arried], 47, Coal Labourer,
Employed, Essex, Stebbing
- Phœbe C. HICKS, Wife, M, 40, , , Essex, Wansted
- Alfred W. HICKS, Son, S[ingle], 17, Gardners Domestic, Employed,
Essex, Epping
- Ernest H. HICKS, Son, S, 15, Baker's Boy, Employed, Essex, Epping
- Herbert J. HICKS, Son, S, 14, Baker's Boy, Employed, Essex, Epping
- Florence S. HICKS, Daur, , 12, Scholar, , Essex, Loughton
- Edward G. HICKS, Son, , 11, Scholar, , Essex, Loughton
- Phœbe L. HICKS, Daur, , 8, Scholar, , Essex, Loughton
- Arthur G. HICKS, Son, , 7, Scholar, , Essex, Loughton
- Elizabeth F. HICKS, Daur, , 5, Scholar, , Essex, Loughton
- Sarah A. HICKS, Daur, , 2, , , Essex, Loughton
People
used
to play down their profession on the census, e.g. builders and
monumental masons who declared themselves on the return as
'bricklayers.' There were no pits in Essex do 'Coal
Labourer' probably meant coalman (i.e. a coal delivery service
operator). Phoebe's sister, Fanny, had married Charles STINTON.
As the STINTONs were coal merchants, this may account for
moving into that area of work.
Around 1892, the couple had their fifth daughter, Eleanor M(ary?)
HICKS, for whom the 1901 census records give a place of birth of Loughton,
Essex.
On the 1901 Census the family were living on the High Road, Loughton,
Essex. At that time the family comprised
- Alfred George HICKS, Head, M[arried], 58, Coal Labourer,
Worker, Essex, Stebbing
- Phoebe C. HICKS, Wife, M, 50, , , Essex, Wanstead
- Arthur G. HICKS, Son, S[ingle], 17, Grocer's Assistant, Worker,
Essex, Loughton.
- Fanny Eliz'th HICKS Daughter, S, 15, , , Essex, Loughton
- Sarah Ann HICKS, Daughter, , 12, , , Essex, Loughton
- Eleanor M. HICKS, Daughter, , 9, , , Essex, Loughton
According to Phoebe HICK's obituary they were living in 'one of the
cottages on the cricket ground'.
About 1908 the couple moved to Forest Road, Loughton, Essex, where they
lived for 14 years until the death of Phoebe.