Ernest Henry Hicks senr., born 1875 in Epping, Essex

For related information see www.the-kirbys.org.uk, Ancestor List, Place Index and Wills Index

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Summary 

Not yet summarised.

Parents and family

From his marriage certificate his father was Alfred George HICKS. From the marriage date and the census details his mother is assumed to be Phoebe C STEVENS.

Birth

From 1939 Register this was in on 6 Aug 1876 and earlier census records suggest the Epping area. The catalogue of the Essex Archives lists a record for the baptism of an Ernest Henry Hicks, on 31 Oct 1875, at St John the Baptist, Epping. Born 6 Aug 1875 to parents Alfred and Plicelia[sic, a transcription error for Phoebe?] Caroline Hicks. The probable birth registration is Ernest Henry Hicks, Sep Qart 1875, Epping 4a 144.

Childhood and education

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

Employment

The 1891 Census lists him immediately after the Kings Head, Loughton, Essex. 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

Marriage to Ellen Sharp Gregory

On 25 December 1895 (Christmas Day), Ernest married Ellen Sharp GREGORY in the Parish Church of the parish of Loughton. The details from the registration are -

On the 1911 Census it was a requirement to record the total number of children born to woman, how many were still living, and how many had died. Ellen recorded five living and one who had died. As they appear to have been in Loughton throughout that period there are several candidates for the child who died. The most likely seems to be Albert John HICKS, born 1897 and died 1899, aged 1 (registered Dec. quarter of 1897 in Epping), as he would have been their first child and named after both his grandparents.

On the 1901 Census Ernest was at High Road, Loughton, Essex. At that time the family comprised:

• Ernest Henry HICKS, Head, M[arried], 25, Grocer's Assistant, worker, Essex, Epping
• Ellen S. HICKS, Wife, M, 25, , , Wilts, Swindon
• Ethel M. F. HICKS, Daur, , 4, , , Essex, Loughton
• Ernest Henry HICKS, Son, , 2, , , Essex, Loughton
• Frederick K HICKS, Son, , 11m, , , Essex, Loughton

His parents family were living just a few doors away on the High Road.

On the 1911 Census the family is at 145 Smarts Lane, Loughton, Essex. At that time the family comprised:

• Ernest Henry HICKS, Head, 35, M[a]r[rie]d, Assistant Grocer, Epping, Essex
• Ellen Sharp HICKS, Wife, 35, M[a]r[rie]d [for] 15 [years], 6 children born alive, 5 still living, 1 died,  Swindon, Wilts.
• Ethel May Florence HICKS, Daughter, 14, , Loughton, Essex
• Ernest HICKS, Son, 12, , , [no place of birth given]
• Frederick HICKS, Son, 10, , , [no place of birth given]
• Albert HICKS, Son, 7, , [no place of birth given]
• Percy Stanley HICKS, Son, 3, , [no place of birth given]
• Kathleen Alice RENDER, Daughter, 4, , Dumnow, Essex

A HICKS descendant reported a tradition that this couple had two children who died in infancy. The second birth would have been after the 2 April 1911 Census, as at that time they only reported that they had one child who had died. From Sept 1911 the mother's maiden name is shown on the Birth Registers. There are no HICKS births with a mothers maiden name of GREGORY in Epping after that date.The next in Essex is in the 1980s. The child would therefore have to have been born after 2 April 1911 and before Oct 1911. There are no Essex death registrations that fulfill those criteria. It is likely, therefore, that this was a stillborn child as such a birth would not have been registered.

The First World War years 1914-18

Various papers are available as part of Ernest's service record. The details are presented below.

A statement of service document gives the following details

Corps	Battn or Depot	Promotions, reductions, casualties etc	Army rank	Date
General Service		Deemed to have been enlisted	Pte	24-6-16
		Called up for service	Pte	7 May 17
J. W. Coy	19th	Posted	"	8/5/17
330th (H.S.) Works COMPANY
(H.S.) Works COMPANY	330	Appointed (unpaid)	L/Cpl	28/8/17
(H.S.) Works Coy	330	Appointed pd: Ld complete establishment	L/C	9/3/18

In 1917 Works companies (J.W. Coy. 19th possibly being 19th Joint Works Company) were being consolidated into new Labour Companies. From other forms it appears the transfer to 330th was on 12 May 17, so he was barely in his assigned company for more than a few days. 330th was part of the Labour Company. The Labour Corps was manned by those who had not achieved the “A1” medical rating needed for front line service, but grew to comprise about 10% of the Army. Few records remain for its activities and researching them is complicated. Some suggest that it was the practice to issue any medals under the original company rather than Labour Coy. The Works Companies worked behind the front-lines to support the troops. Whilst their general duties would have been infrastructure construction and repair, handling supplies, general labour, evacuating the wounded and burying the dead, they were trained to defend themselves in the event of an emergency. The Long, Long Trail website notes 'Army Council Instruction 611 stated that units of the Labour Corps would not be required to maintain a war diary unless the Commander-in-Chief concerned authorised otherwise. This, and the fact that the nominal rolls and other documents were destroyed in the Arnside Street fire in 1940 makes researching a man of the Labour Corps difficult and producing a good analysis of his story a rather sketchy affair.' (https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-labour-corps-of-1917-1918/, Accessed 3 Feb 2026). The one reference to where he served mentions that he was in the Eastern Theater (roughly Eastern Europe), but that represents a snapshot, and a family embroidery piece may suggest he spent some of his service in France.

Army Form B 178 (Medical History), completed on 16 Mar 1917 at Stratford,  provides a medical snapshot prior to Ernest enlisting. From this we know:

• Birthplace: Epping, Essex
• Age: 40
• Trade or occupation: Carman
• Height 5'6 1/4"
• Weight: 110lb
• Chest expanded 34 1/2" with 2" range of expansion
• Physical development: Fair
• Eyesight R 6/18 L 6/36
• History of Recent Pneumonia
• Some Myocardial Weakness
• That he was at some point transferred from 19 J. W. Coy to 330th (H.S.) Works Company

Table II shows that he was admitted to hospital or the sick list as follows

• 26/7/17, CIII by T.M.B.
• Dec 20 1917 No. 2 T.M.P Category BII Orford Suffolk
• Innoculation refused 5/12/18

His disciplinary record was clean. And was certified as having no entry at Walton, Felixstow, on 20 Feb 1919, by W. J. Russell

Army Form B.2153 Record of Service Paper was for men deemed to be enlisted. It give the following details:

• No. 177892.
• Name: Ernest Henry Hicks
• Corps: 19th / J. W. Coy
• Full address: 145 Smarts Lane, Loughton
• British subject: yes
• Age: 41 years 9 months
• Trade or calling: Jobbing Gardner
• Served before: no
• Preference for branch: A.S.C.
• Do you want to serve in the navy: no
• The solemn declaration is dated 7 May 1917 and made at Epping before C. Every
• Medical classification: B II
• The approval, dated 8-5-17, and made at Warley by C R Walters, appointed him to 19th J. W. Boy.

The reverse has a descriptive report on joining which gave the following:

• Height 5'6"
• Chest fully expanded 34 1/2" with range of expansion of 2"
• Nest of kin: Ellen Sharp Hicks of 145 Smarts Lane, Loughton, Essex, Wife
• Wife's maiden name, place and date of marriage and current residence: Ellen Sharp Gregory; Parish Church Loughton, 25 Dec 1895; 145 Smarts Lane Loughton.
• Particulars as to children
• Albert Arthur, 18th April 1903, Loughton
• Kathleen Allen (surname Render), 10th Sept 1906, Loughton
• Percy Stanley, 27th July 1907, Loughton

11 November 1918 marked the end of the war.

On 22 Feb 1919 a 28 day Protection Certificate and Certificate of Identity was issued at No 1 Dispersal Unit, Purfleet, for Henry Hicks, which gives the following details:

• Regtl. No.: 177892, Rank: L/Cpl, unit: looks like R Surrys, Regt. or Corps: Labour C
• Pay office: P Heringham
• Address for pay: 145 Smarts Lane, Loughton, Essex
• Theatre of war: Eastern
• Born in year: 1875
• Medical category: B2
• Place of rejoining in case of emergency: Sutton

Army Form B.103 (Casualty Form - Active Service) gives some chronological details for his service (as it records transfers and changes in rank as well as casualties)

• T.M.B. 20-12-17  / No. 2 T. M. B. / B2
• 23-9-18 / No. 11 T.M.B. / B2 9 months
• Posted to 330 (HS) Works Coy [obscure word] from Depot Essex, Warley 12-5-17 / W J Russel Lt
• 330 (HS) Works Company / Appointed Pd L/Cpl / Orford / 9-3-18 / W J Russel Lt
• Walton, Felixstow 20 Feb 19 Proceed to Purfleet for Demobilization Author No 2. Area / W J Russel Lt

In Oct 1918 the appointment of one Ernest H Hicks at Woodford Green is listed in the British Postal Service Appointment Books. (British Postal Museum and Archive; Series: POST 58; Reference Number: 113.) The London Gazette of 4 February 1919  (pg. 1829) published an entry for "Ernest Henry Hicks (Woodford Green)" in its section on "Certificates issued, etc.", listed under the appointments for January 24 1919, "Under Clause 7 of the Order in Council of 10th January, 1910", and sub-subsection for "Postmen." On 1 Apr 1919 there was an appointment of one Ernest H Hicks at Woodford Green listed in the British Postal Service Appointment Books. (British Postal Museum and Archive; Series: POST 58; Reference Number: 115.). It is not clear how these might relates to Ernest snr and Ernest jnr. In the case of Ivy Lavinia Bull, the gazette entry followed her appointments book entry and in Oct 1918 Ernest senior.'s son of the same name had still not been demobilized from the army, so the earlier entry may refer to Ernest Henry senior. If that is the case, he found employment with the post-office on leaving the forces. By 1921, however, he was working with the Great Eastern Railway Co., so this Post Office appointment would have been short-lived.

On 14 Feb 1919 a Statement of Disability was issued, confirming that he did not intend to make a claim. It gives the following:

On 1 Jul 1927 his son referred to himself on an official document as Ernest Henry HICKS Jnr. This implies that his father was still alive at that point.

On 7 Jun 1928 he is referred to on the Marriage Certificate of his son Ernest Henry HICKS. His occupation is given as Greengrocer.

The entry for Loughton in Kelly's Directory for 1929 lists "Hicks Ernest H. & Sons, greengros. 145 Smart's la. & 23 York hill." (Pg 330)

A few pictures survive.

L to R, top to bottom Ivy HICKS  Fred? HICKS Ethel HICKS ? Kit HICKS Ellen Sharp HICKS (nee GREGORY) Ernest Henry HICKS snr Here the family are pictured outside their 'front room' shop. I believe that this was taken in Smarts Lane, Loughton.	L to R, top to bottom Frederick HICKS? Ernest Henry HICKS jnr Albert HICKS? Ernest Henry HICKS snr Some shop stock just showing in the window behind
Outside a later version of the shop. L to R, top to bottom Doll HICKS  Ethel HICKS Kit HICKS Ellen Sharp HICKS (nee GREGORY) Ethel lived with Ellen and Doll lived just over the road.	Ernest Henry HICKS snr with a delivery van (which family recollections suggest was his). In his military papers he gives his civilian occupation as Carman.

On 1 Jul 1927 his son referred to himself on an official document as Ernest Henry HICKS Jnr. This implies that his father was still alive at that point.

On 7 Jun 1928 he is referred to on the Marriage Certificate of his son Ernest Henry HICKS. His occupation is given as Greengrocer.

The 1939 Register contains the following at 7 England's Lane, Chigwell, Essex

• HICKS, Ernest H, , Male, born 6 8 76, Married, Shop Assistant
• HICKS, Ellen S, , Female, born 25 4 76, Married, Unpaid domestic dut.

Last Will and Testament

According to one of his grandchildren who has a copy, 'this is self-written on a form which was probably bought locally and was probably never used, although it was witnessed by some neighbours.  However he clearly states that his beneficiary is to be his wife Ellen Sharpe Hicks.'

Death

1940. Registration is Ernest H. HICKS, aged 64, Epping, Jun Quarter, Vol 4a, pg 601

Burial

Not known

Descendants and notable relations

Frederick K. Hicks

On 26 Jul 1963 Fred Hicks was awarded the Imperial Service Medal. In the same year he retired from the Post Office after more than 29 years service.
A clipping of the following death notification was found in the family archives (the publication details were not given, but he died in 1975):
Another clipping, annotated with the date March 18th 1975, reads:

Ethel Hicks

The notice of her death, published in 1978, reads:

Albert Arthur Hicks

In his youth Albert was a keen athlete and reports of his successes may be found in the Chelmsford Chronicle, e.g. :

• 14 Jan 1927, placed 26 in a cross country match, " A. A. Hicks, Loughton A.C., 52.55"
• 15 Jun 1928, "A. A. Hicks, Loughton A.C." was one of the winners in his event in the County Sports;
• 5 Oct 1928, "Loughton A.C. opened their cross-country season Saturday, 47 turning out. The mile run in was won by: Seniors, A. A. Hicks; novices, L. Law."
• 21 March 1930, in a 5 mile cross-country event, "Order finish: 1, A. A. Hicks,* Loughton, 26min. 38sec."
• 14 May 1930, "Loughton A.C. won an inter-club miles road race on Saturday. The chief placings were: 1, A. Hicks (Loughton), 26m. 38secs."
• 11 Mar 1932, "Loughton A.C. (61 beat Essex Beagles (87 points) in a 4½ miles road-running match at Loughton. First three : 1, A. . A. Hicks. Loughton. 26 min. sec."
• 17 Feb 1933, "A. A. Hicks, Loughton A.C., was 19th, in 51-17"

Percy Hicks

25 Dec 1925, the Chelmsford Chronicle carried a note that "Loughton St. Mary's travelled Woodford and defeated Woodford Bridge 4-1. Percy Hicks, right-half, sent a nice pass to Stead, who placed across the goal mouth for S. Willingale open the score after minutes."

Easily confused individuals

There is another Ernest H HICKS born a few years later but descended from another Loughton HICKS family, also another father and son duo who look superficially like this Ernest and his father.

• The 1881 census has another Ernest Henry Hicks born in 1878 in West Ham. He is son of Thomas HICKS born 1853 in West Ham (a Dock Wharfinger) who in turn was the son of a Henry HICKS born in 1809 in Loughton (and still in Loughton in 1881). Henry was a confectioner/confection porter.
• The 1881 census has an Ernest HICKS born in 1878 in Barking to an Alfred HICKS (born 1841 in Barking and a general labourer). That Alfred happens to be the namesake and born in the same year as Ernest's father (who was born in Bardfield Saling).

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Any transcripts and images on this page are Copyright R I Kirby 2005 unless stated otherwise.