George Wickens was born in Rotherfield, East Sussex, in about 1821; his father, John, was a labourer and his mother's name was Mary.   He had a younger sister named Mary Ann, born in Rotherfield in 1825.  By 1842 George had become a shoemaker and was possibly living in Portslade since in March of that year he married Hannah VIRGO at Portslade parish church there.   (Hannah's family was from Portslade, but had connections with the Salem Baptist Chapel in Brighton.)

George and Hannah's children

The family soon moved to Brighton and their first known child was another George, born in 1845 at 32 Suffolk Place.   A second son, Frederick, was born in 1848 at Grosvenor Cottages.   Their other known children were Samuel (c1852), Mary Ann (1857), Elizabeth Jane (1859), Clara (1862), and Alfred (1866) all born in Brighton.

By the time Alfred was born the family had moved to 35 Lennox Street, which remained George and Hannah's home until at least 1891.

The next generation

George married Jane BENNETT (1876).   Their known children were Harriett Jane (1878), George (c1880 - ?1884) and Nellie (c1885).

Frederick married Matilda Jane HEATHER (1873) at the Wesleyan Chapel in Dorset Gardens.   Their children were Emma Matilda (1875), Frederick Alfred (1877), Mabel (1879), Percy Albert (1882) and Bertie Edward (1884).   Matilda Jane died in 1888, at which point the family was living in Toronto Terrace.   Frederick remarried in 1892.  He and his new wife, Eliza née SIMMONS , had a daughter called Eva (1896).   Like his father and older brother, Frederick was a boot and shoemaker and eventually had his own business in Dinapore Street which was still running in 1907.  

At the time of the 1881 census, Elizabeth Jane, a domestic servant, was an unmarried mother living at her parents' home with daughter Edith (1878).

Samuel married Emma HEATHER (Matilda's sister) in 1872.   Their first child was Samuel George (1873), followed by Frederick, Alice, Norma Edith, May, Ernest and Nellie.

Alfred married Julia Emily WILLIAMS, who was born in Bath, although her family came originally from London.   Their first child was Julia Emily (1890).   Both Alfred and his brother Samuel were painters and decorators.

... and now?

We are both great-great-granddaughters of the first George, descended through Frederick and his children Frederick Alfred and Mabel, and would like to hear from any other descendants, particularly those of Frederick's family.

Claire Wickens and Jan Peters

Contact Claire by email

Contact Jan by email