Hickson Reunion 2012

On Saturday October 13th 2012 members and friends of the Hickson family met at Toolleen Community Centre for a reunion. They are the descendants and families of Edward George and Lucy Mary Ann Hickson (nee Aylett) who married in the area on February 10th 1879.The couple raised their family on a property only several hundred metres from the Community Centre.

The Reunion Cake was generously made by Kel Bramley who is married to Edward and Lucy's great granddaughter Anne Bramley, nee Triplett. It was expertly decorated by Anne's cousin Faye Reid, nee Triplett. We are very grateful to Kel and Faye, the cake  looked delightful and was delicious.

 

Our new Reunion Banner stood out in its bright Family crest colour scheme. A  big thank you goes to the team of helpers who set up the Community Centre on Friday 12th October.

New for this year's Reunion were some  colourful drink coolers. They were available for purchase for $5.00 each. We have a lot left  so they may be ordered by emailing quantities and colours to hicksonreunion@gmail.com . Our thanks go to James and Helen Hickson for organizing these.

Unfortunately Cheryl Payne (nee Hickson) was unable to return from her Early Childhood work in Apia, Samoa for the Reunion. She sent us her apologies and an update on her work which was read out during the afternoon. Her husband Simon was able to join us and her children Lauren and Christopher (pictured above) were a great help on the Registration desk and with packing up. They are the great-great grandchildren of Edward and Lucy Hickson.

 

Grace Triplett (nee Hickson) and her elder son Neville took a look through her late sister Maud Triplett (nee Hickson's) photo album.

 
Elsie Woodgate(nee Hickson)  at right came all the way from Beaudesert in Queensland for the reunion. She is pictured with her daughter Cheryl Laidlaw (nee Woodgate) and some of her grandchildren.

 
Howard Osborne (left) and his father Stan, who sadly died last year, are long time friends of the Hickson family. We are very grateful that such families as Howard's, the Griffins and Dorothy Eeles (nee Ashley) are able to join us for our Reunions. Howard is pictured with Family Patriarch Ron Hickson and his youngest sister Annice Jensen (nee Hickson).

The younger generation of helpers include L to R: Lauren Payne, Christopher Payne, Kate Osborn and Kerry Osborn. Sadly they didn't meet their grandfather, Lloyd Hickson, who died suddenly on the farm at Muskerry East aged 51 on April 4th,1977.

Linda Kristiansen (nee Hickson) is pictured with her adorable daughter Paige. Linda and her husband John live in Muskerry East is which is not far from Toolleen.

The weather stayed fine and the afternoon was filled with plenty of time for browsing and chatting.

Harry Willson who is the son of Teagan Byrne and Jason Willson was the youngest descendant in attendance. He was three weeks old. Harry's Grandmother Carol Byrne (nee Hickson) was a wonderful help on set up day and remained with her mother Alma, 90 to allow her father Ron Hickson, 94, to attend the Reunion.

 
Family friend Dorothy Eeles (left) caught up with Len Jensen, Annice Jensen (right) and their daughter Robyn Angove (nee Jensen).

Updated family charts were published by Elaine Longford (nee Welshe) centre. She is pictured with Glenys Jensen (nee Smirk) and Enid Day who is related to us through the Day family in Ireland. We are very grateful to Elaine for all her research and work in keeping the charts up to date. Additional births, deaths and marriages can be emailed to hicksonrenunion@gmail.com .

 
Two cousins who are six days apart in age are  (left) Faye Reid (nee Triplett) and Yvonne Osborn (nee Hickson) Born in June 1953, the girls are great granddaughters of Edward and Lucy Mary Anne Hickson.

Green, yellow and black streamers and balloons decorated the Toolleen Community Centre. The green and yellow are County Kerry's colours in Ireland.

 Receiving his Youngest Hickson Descendant Present award was Harry Willson aged three weeks. He is pictured with his mother Teagan Byrne, Yvonne Osborn (nee Hickson) and his second cousin Ella Wilkinson.

Elsie Woodgate (nee Hickson) came from Beaudesert, Queensland to be part of the older generation in attendance at the Reunion. Her gift was for the Furthest Travelled Descendant. It was a Creative Memories Album.

The five older generation cousins shared in the cutting of the Reunion Cake. Left to Right they are Annice Jensen (nee Hickson) Ron Hickson, Grace Triplett (nee Hickson), Les Smirk and Elsie Woodgate (nee Hickson).

Ron Hickson proudly held his great grandson Harry who was 3 weeks old. Ron was 94 years and 6 months old on the Reunion day having been born on 13th April 1918.

Brian Woodgate and his wife Liza are pictured with their daughter Alizah. Brian is the great grandson of Edward Hickson. He is the grandson of Alf Hickson who worked as a blacksmith at Knowsley, Victoria.

Enid and Kevin O'Toole travelled from Clarkfield, Victoria to join us for the Hickson Reunion. Enid is a relative from the Day family in Ireland. We thank them for their support over many Reunions.

 

 

The Younger Generation of Hicksons

It all began with Edward George Hickson and his wife Lucy Mary Ann (nee Aylett) who married at Toolleen, Victoria, Australia on February 10th 1879. Their oldest son William James (born 26/6/1883) had a  second son Ronald Edward (born 13/4/1918) who had an older son Roger James (born 3/9/1954) who had these delightful young people.
Left to right they are Linda (now Kristiansen)who is proud Mum of one year old Paige Olivia, Meredith who is Nursing in Mildura, Callum, Carly who is Nursing in Bendigo and is proud Mum of Ella and Lucy and Rowan who is farming at Muskerry East like his Great Grandfather, Grandfather and Father. This photo was taken as a gift. These young people are a gift in themselves. We hope to catch up with them at the Hickson Reunion on October 13th, 2012.

Two Weeks and One Day to go until Reunion Day

Time's flying, preparations are well underway and we are hoping for good weather on Saturday October 13th, 2012 for our Hickson Family Reunion. We will meet at theToolleen Community Centre,Victoria, less than a kilometre from where Edward George Hickson and Lucy Mary Ann Aylett were married at her parents' home  on February 10th 1879 by the Reverend Horace Tucker from Elmore.
I have designed a  pull up banner for display on the day. I used the colours from our family crest along with the birth, death and marriage details  of our ancestors.I am hoping to receive more replies to our invitations as the old saying goes, "the more the merrier" but whoever makes the journey will hopefully enjoy the day of celebrations marking the contribution to Australia's history of this couple and their descentants.

Happy 90th Birthday Grace

Friday 24th August, 2012 was a big day for Grace Triplett (nee Hickson)  of Eaglehawk, Victoria, as she celebrated her 90th Birthday.  The day was filled with phonecalls, cards, visitors and flowers as Grace is a warm and loving mother, grandmother,great grandmother, cousin, sister and friend to so many people. She even received a phone call from her niece Cheryl Grace Payne (nee Hickson) who is working in Apia, Samoa.

Sunday 26th August saw a gathering of 60 relatives and friends helped Grace celebrate further with a luncheon organized by her children at the Manchester Arms Bistro in Eaglehawk Road, Long Gully.

Happy Birthday Grace from the whole Hickson Family.

 

 

 

 

 

Hickson Cousins from NSW

Pearl Logan (nee Pieper ), pictured here on her 94th Birthday is the daughter of Barbara Lucy Pieper (nee Hickson) and granddaughter of our pioneer couple Edward George Hickson and his wife Lucy Mary Ann (nee Aylett).

The above photos were sent by Trevor Logan, Pearl's son. Assisting Pearl with her delicious looking cake is  her nephew Max Pieper, son of Cyril Pieper.Happy Birthday Pearl.

Our aim for this year's Hickson Family Reunion is to try to involve more of the younger members of the family. Everyone can relate to their school photos and perhaps being photographed in a sporting team.Over 85 years have passed since this photo was taken.
Ron Hickson (middle row, third from the left) was one of 16 students who had their lessons in the old Muskerry East Methodist Church before the Primary School  (PS. 2108) obtained its own building(a few hundred metres away) which still exists but was closed as a school in 1993. Other Hickson descendants in the photo are rear left, Maud Hickson, Middle row left is Cecil Hickson, front left is Jean Fortune and rear, fourth from left is Isobel (Bell) Fortune.

The photo below is of the Tennis Team that played at Muskerry East's tennis court which was in the Primary School grounds. Ron Hickson is in  the back row on the right.His older sister, Maud is in the front row on the right and his cousin Jean Fortune is fourth from the right in the front row.

Now privately owned, the Muskerry East Primary School saw three generations of Hickson descendants educated there.

The times, they are a changing ... We're on Facebook.

It had to happen. We went from sending out letters of invitation back in 1984 for our first Hickson Family Gathering to this year creating an Event on Facebook as well as emailing and posting information on this Reunion Blog.

It's Reunion Time Again

Left to Right: Grace Triplett (nee Hickson), Ron Hickson who will be 94 on April 13th and Annice Jensen (nee Hickson) are the offspring of William James (Jim) Hickson and Christina May Stoddart who lived at "Hillsyde", Muskerry East, Victoria.

Jim Hickson ( front right) caught up with his cousin Neville Triplett, front left) at the planning meeting on January 12th, 2012. Also in the photo are from left Annice Jensen, Ron Hickson, Peter Longford and Faye Reid (nee Triplett).

The Meeting was chaired by Cheryl Payne (nee Hickson) right. Cheryl has been a keen supporter and organizer of our many Hickson Family Reunions which began in 1984 and is the author of "Dawn of Hope"which she published for the first reunion.

This year a Reunion of the descendants of Edward George Hickson and Lucy Mary Ann Aylett will be held at the Toolleen Comnmunity Centre, Toolleen, Victoria, Australia on Saturday 13th October.

Planning is already underway, having begun with a well attended meeting at Ron and Alma Hickson's home in Strathdale, Bendigo. A delicious afternoon followed the planning discussions.

The planning committee welcomes suggestions via email prior to our next meeting which will be held in June 2012.