William Bickers, son of Francis and Mary (née Peddan) Bickers, was born at Thirsk Yorkshire England in 1815. Information on the internet suggests he came to Australia on 28 April 1832 as a convict transported on the Lord William Bentinck. He married Hannah Oxley on 11 September 1837. He formed a relationship with Mary Ann, daughter of Thomas and Jane (née Pickett) Beechey. Jane was reputed to be the daughter of Samuel Pickett who came with the First Fleet on the Charlotte and Mary Ann Thompson who was transported on the First Fleet ship Lady Juliana. William and Mary Ann came to the Mount Duneed area in the late 1850s. They had 11 children: William — born in 1845 in Hobart, died in 1875 aged 31 years at Mitiamo in Victoria https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/197550835?searchTerm=%22mitiamo%20murder%22%20%22william%20bickers%22 Jane — born on 16 January 1846 in Hobart, married John Theodore Brown on 16 April 1870 in Fitzroy, died on 6 September aged 37 years 1884 in Melbourne Alfred — born on 28 January 1848 in Hobart, married Isabella Bryan, died on 2 June 1917 at Warracknabeal Ellen — born on 13 May 1850 in Hobart, married Thomas Ellis on 12 January 1870, died on 19 August 1945 aged 95 years at Mount Duneed, buried in the Church of England section of the Mount Duneed Cemetery George — born in 1853 in Germantown, married Annie Garvie Tawse in 1882. Annie died on 21 July 1889 and is buried in an unknown location at Mount Duneed Cemetery, died in 1931 aged 78 years at Bendigo Maria — born in 1865 in Geelong, married James Woodhead in 1876 Francis — born in 1858 in Connewarre, married Eliza O'Hare in 1885, died on 4 October 1928 at Colac Rebecca — born in 1861 at Connewarre, married John Theodore Brown in 1885 in Victoria, died in 1911 Elizabeth — born in 1863 in Connewarre, married Samuel Henry Johnson in 1882, died on 3 August 1948 aged 84 years at Connewarre, buried in the Church of England section of the Geelong eastern Cemetery Martha — born 1866 in Connewrre, married Andrew Condie in 1884, died on 28 May 1958 aged 92 years at Geelong, buried in the Presbyterian section of the Geelong Western Public Cemetery Harriet — born in 1869 in Mount Duneed, married Henry Frederick Neville in 1891 in 1891 William died on 19 June 1869 at Mount Duneed aged 54 and was buried in the Church of England section of the Mount Duneed Cemetery. Mary Ann died on 9 April 1914 at Rupanyup. |
8 Comments
Shirley Brown
18/1/2018 09:43:50 pm
Thanks for very interesting blog. My husband is a gt. grandson of John Theodore Brown who we believe was born in Sweden in 1845. He married Jane Bickers in Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia on 16th April 1870.
Reply
Stuart Rigby
21/4/2018 10:27:33 am
Some great info here !
Reply
Ian Kilpatrick
6/6/2020 03:53:47 pm
William Bickers & Mary Ann Beechey are my 2G Grandparents...they were never formally married... William was still legally married to Hannah Oxley [11/9/1837] separated prior to 1843. Hannah had a record of wilful behaviour and died a pauper in Hobart Hospital 1/11/1868
Reply
Gus Johnson
3/7/2020 02:25:54 pm
Wow.
Reply
Ian Kilpatrick
1/10/2021 11:25:02 am
sorry folks I was in error and believed my previous information about William Bickers and Hannah Oxley...these two died in Hobart all checked & correct...The William Bickers buried at Mt Duneed was indeed William Vickers he also was a seven yr convict....Mary Ann Beechey was his partner never legally married... William assumed the name Bickers circa 1855 when he sailed from Hobart to Pt Phillip for the Beechworth diggings...he was successful and gradually brought the entire family to Victoria they all assumed the Bickers name...he bought properties at Mt Dunned with the funds from his gold diggings Beechworth success...my GGrandmother Ellen Bickers was born in Tasmania as Ellen Vickers as was the first three children...
Reply
Jo Brown
15/10/2021 01:06:08 am
Hi Ian, this is strange as the family tree info I've inherited states William Bickers born in 1803 in Thirsk, Yorkshire, England 》son of Francis Bickers and Margaret Bickers. Margaret died and Francis then married Mary Pedden in 1804. William grew up and married in England to someone named Frances. On 13th January 1932, at aged 29 he was tried and convicted for stealing and given a 14 yr sentence, arriving in Hobart on 29th August 1932, and this is where the research I have ties this William to Hannah Oxley
Reply
Ian Kilpatrick
31/12/2021 02:24:59 pm
Hello Jo....thanks for your response to the Vickers- Bickers information...I too was a believer in the Bickers genealogy as you have recorded...just briefly the children born in Tasmania all record the surname Vickers which rather puzzled me when this information came to light.. carried out a thorough investigation which led to the conclusion that there had been a name change to Bickers when William & siblings moved to Victoria...the children born in Vic show birth certificate surname as Bickers...William travelled to Vic circa 1850 on three occasions using his Vickers name on the ship passenger lists...if you would like to contact me at [email protected] would be happy to share with you all the documentation... best wishes Ian Kilpatrick
Jo Brown
15/10/2021 01:15:36 am
George born 1853 as noted above - in Germantown. I will amend my aunts records.
Reply
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
SponsorsLinksThe Bluestone Cottage at Marshall
Together They Served Torquay Museum Without Walls Barwon Blog Geelong and District Database Geelong Cemetery Index Australian War Memorial Trove Public Records Surf Coast Early Schools Victorian Places Barwon Heads History |