The Family and Descendants of Silas Hickmott
and Jane Bridger

(last updated: 10 February 2014)

Silas and Jane Hickmott nee Bridger had nine children we are aware of, all born at Frittenden: James (1840), Jane (1842-1917), Mary (1844), Benjamin (1846-7), Elizabeth (1848-94), William (1851-69), Ellen (1854-1902), Silas (1857-1927) and Ann or Nancy Hickmott (1857-1930). To date we know nothing of their eldest son, James Hickmott, beyond his date and place of birth (Marge Walker has also sent us a photograph, shown below, which she thinks is him). We know from the Monumental Inscription for Smarden that Benjamin and William Hickmott died at Frittenden aged one and eighteen years respectively. What follows is a summary of the information we have discovered to date on Silas and Jane's remaining children, all of whom are pictured in the photo below.

Silas and Jane's eldest daughter, Jane Hickmott (1842-1917), took over the running of Weaverden Farm following her father's death there in 1870. She never married and by the time of the 1901 census was living on her own means at Elderden House in Chart Sutton (south of Maidstone) in Kent. The 1911 census shows Jane (68, Frittenden) living by herself and by 'private means' at 'Thistle In' in Frittenden. We think she died in Lewisham in London in 1917 although that has still to be confirmed. Jane is pictured on the left.

Janes's sister Mary Hickmott (1844-1912) was with her parents at Frittenden at the time of the 1851 census, and her widowed father there in 1861. At the time of the 1871 census she was still unmarried and was living on her deceased parents' farm with her sisters Jane, Ellen and Nancy and brother Silas. the Catherine House Records show that she married Philip Collison (1824-97) in the Cranbrook registration district of Kent in 1872. The 1881 census has Mary and Philip, a farmer of 100 acres who was born at Staplehurst in 1824, living at Cross at Hand Farm in Staplehurst. Also present was Mary's unmarried sister Nancy Hickmott (24) and Philip and Mary's adopted daughter, Ada Mary Watts (7 and born in Yorkshire). Philip (66) and Mary (47) were still at Cross at Hand Farm in Staplehurst in 1891. With them this time was 19 year-old Elizabeth Baker who was born at Frittenden and was working as a domestic servant. By the time of the 1901 census, Philip had died and the widowed Mary was living 'on her own means' and with her sister Jane Hickmott at Chart Sutton. Mary is pictured below on the right.

The 1911 census has a Mary Collison, a 68 year-old widow born at Frittenden and said to be 'feeble-minded', boarding at 6 Parker's Road Broomhill in Sheffield with Charles William (49 year-old furniture packer born at Bethersden in Kent) and Ann Jarvis (51, East Farleigh) and their five children: Hephzibah (26, Staplehurst), Annie (23, Surbiton, Surrey), Sidney Walter (21, Surbiton), Ruth (18, Staplehurst) and William Charles (16, Staplehurst). The census return indicated that Charles and Ann had been married 27 years and had had six children one of whom had died. We think that Mary died in the Newcastle upon Tyne RD of Northumberland in 1912 although that has not been confirmed. We don't believe she and Philip had any children.

One of her descendants, Marge Walker, tells us that Jane and Mary's sister, Elizabeth Hickmott (1848-94), married Ernest James Mace Joy (1844-1910) at Frittenden in 1866. Ernest was the son of James Albert Joy, who ran Wadd Farm near Brenchley in Kent, and Mary Clara Prendergast. Marge continues that two years after they were married Ernest and Elizabeth and their son Harold Ernest Joy emigrated to the United States.

Marge adds that Elizabeth and Ernest lived first at Utica in New York and then Akron in Ohio (where the family appear on the 1880 census). They had a further eleven children in America: Elsie Florence (1868-68), Rufus James (1869-1939), Lionel Mace (1871-1956), Oliver Hickmott (1874-1953), Herman Horace (1876-1907), Eli Bede (1878-1967), Bessie Clora (1881-1915), Laura Ellen (1883-1971), Minnie Estella (1885-1929), Albert James (1888-1961) and Eunice Mildred Joy (1893-1975). Elizabeth Joy nee Hickmott died at Akron in Ohio in 1894. Her death was reported to those in England who knew her in the 1894 Gospel Standard as follows:

DEATHS. On Jan 1st 1894, aged 46, at Akron Ohio, US, Mrs E. J. Joy, a daughter of the late Mr Silas Hickmott, of Frittenden, Kent. She was led to mourn over her sinful nature in early life, and always held in high esteem ministers and other Christians she knew when a girl. She heard but one gospel sermon in the last twenty years, but seldom complained of that or other privations. She was unable to talk during the last few days of her life, which was a grief to us all. A few hours before she died, when asked how she felt, she was enabled to say but two words, 'Joy' and 'Peace'. - E.J.J.

Four years later Ernest married Eliza Payne Akehurst. He died in Akron in 1910.

Silas and Jane's fourth daughter, Ellen Hickmott (1854-1902) married Thomas Reader (1843-92) in the Cranbrook registration district in 1880. According to the 'Thomas Family Tree' on Ancestry.com, Thomas was born at Brenchley on 24 November 1843, the son of Henry Botten Reader (1813-86) and Mary Harwood (1815-92). The 1881 census has her and Thomas (said to be a 38 year-old farmer of 350 acres) living at Old Hay in Meredith (near Yalding) in Kent. They were still there in 1891. Thomas Reader died in 1892 and Ellen remarried - to George Harding Innes in the Maidstone registration district of Kent - two years later. The 1901 census has George (a 62 year-old agricultural engineer born at Little Walston in Buckinhamshire) and Ellen (47) living in Royston in Hertfordshire together with George's daughter by a previous marriage, Mary Louise Innes (28, Royston Herts), and a servant, Emily Antony.

The Catherine House Index shows that both Ellen and George died in the Royston registration district of Hertfordshire she in 1902 and he in 1918. The UK National Probate Calendar shows that a George Harding Innes of The Warren Royston in Hertfordshire died on 11 January 1918. Probate was granted to Augustus Montague Innes, an engineer's draughtsman and Beversham Chapman Innes, an engineer's salesman. We don't think that Ellen, who is pictured on the right, had any children either with Thomas Reader of George Innes.

Silas and Jane's two youngest children, pictured together below, were twins who were born at Frittenden in 1857. The boy, Silas Hickmott jnr (1857-1927) seems to have spent most of his working life farming, helping his father and then his older sister Jane run Weaversden Farm and then, with his Mersham-born wife Annie or Amy Sarah Munday (1857-1939) who he married in 1895, running 'New Weaversden' farm near Frittenden. The 'Munday Family Tree' on Ancestry.com tells us that Amy's parents were Charles Munday (1824-83) and Frances Sarah Bass (1833-1903) who were married in the Elham RD of Kent in 1853. The 1901 census shows Silas and Annie living with Annie's mother, Frances Munday, on Water Lane in Headcorn. The 1911 census has Silas, a 54 year-old farmer, and Amy (52) at New Weaversden Farm. The census return indicates they had been married 17 years and had no children. The UK National Probate Calendar shows that Silas Hickmott of The Nook in Frittenden died there on 24 June 1927. Probate was granted to a Herbert Dungey, farmer. Silas' wife, Amy Hickmott nee Munday, died in the Tonbridge registration district of Kent twelve years later.

Silas twin sister, Ann or Nancy Hickmott (1857-1930) was living at Staplehurst with her sister Mary Collison at the time of the 1881 census. Two years later she married Walter Herbert Reader (1863-1937) in the Maidstone registration district of Kent. The Thomas Family Tree on Ancestry.com tells us that Walter was born at Marden and his parents were Thomas Reader (1818-81) and Alice Ray (1825-81) who were married at Brenchley in Kent on 24 October 1836 and had 12 children in addition to Walter.

The 1891 census shows Walter (28 year-old farm bailiff) and Ann (34) living at Little Bettlehanger farm in Northbourne in Kent. With them were their four children all born at Northbourne - Thomas (6), Herbert (4), Sidney (2) and Martha (2m) - plus a servant Caroline Marsh (15, Whitfield Kent). The 1901 census has Walter (38 year-old farm estate bailiff) and Ann (44) living at Salten Heath Farm at Chevening in Kent with six children: Harold Herbert (14), Sidney Stewart (12), Martha Mary (10), Ethel Ellen (7, Hawhurst), Frank Frith (5, Hawkhurst) and Ida Irene Reader (3, Chevening). By the time of the 1911 census Walter (48 year-old farm labourer) and Ann (54) had moved to Beulah Cottage in Marden. With them were Martha Mary (20), Ethel Ellen (17 year-old nurse), Frank Frith (15) and Ida Irene Reader (13). The census return shows Walter and Ann had been married 27 years and had eight children, seven of whom were living.

As seen below Walter and Ann lived at Beulah Cottage through the First World War and beyond. The UK National Probate Calendar shows that Ann died there on 6 August 1930 (probate was granted to Percy Henry Tompsett merchant and Ida Irene Reader spinster). The following obituary, published in the December 1930 edition of The Christian's Pathway Supplement, shows that, like her father and uncle, Ann was a practising Baptist. Like her sister Elizabeth she also suffered much pain and angst due, as we will see, in no small part to the fate of some of her children:

Ann Reader was born at Weaversden, Frittenden Kent. She at one time attended Bounds Cross Chapel, but for over twenty-one years had attended Providence Chapel, Staplehurst. The departed was the youngest daughter of the late Mr Silas Hickmott, for years the Deacon at Providence Chapel, Staplehurst. She was bedridden for twenty-one years and her sufferings were great, almost unbearable at times, but sustaining grace and patience was granted, and though one of many doubts and fears, she was comforted at last and died in peace with God. A few days before her end she said to her husband, 'I know that my father, being a good man will not help me, I must know these things for myself', which favour she was granted to enjoy, and bore testitomy in her dying words, which were, 'Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his Holy Name'. She entered into rest on August 6th 1930, aged 74 years, and was buried at Marden on August 9th. Mr F. Kirby officiated.

The UK National Probate Index shows that Walter Herbert Reader of Beulah, Howland Road in Marden died there on 13 January 1937. Probate from his will went to Ethel Ellen Reader and Ida Irene Reader, spinsters. As we have seen, he and Ann had seven children we are aware of: Thomas Philip (born in 1884), Harold Herbert (1886), Sidney Stewart (1888-1917), Martha Mary (1891), Ethel Ellen (1894-1976), Frank Frith (1895-1915) and Ida Irene (1897-1975). We think, but have not yet confirmed, that Thomas died in Kent in 1959 and Herbert there in 1973. We believe neither Ethel nor Ida married. The Thomas Family Tree on Ancestry.com says that Martha Mary Reader married Albert Ernest Fielder at Staplehurst on 4 April 1917 although this has also not been confirmed.

Ancestry's UK Outward Passenger Lists, 1890-1960 tell us that a Sidney S. Reader sailed from London on the Orient Line's OPHIR on 1 April 1910 and disembarked at Fremantle in Western Australia. He travelled south-east from Perth to the Narrogin area where he worked as a farm hand (Narrogin is not far from the wheat towns of Yelearing and Pingelly where a distant relative of Sidney's mother, Henry Edward Hickmott and members of his family, were living). Sidney's younger brother, Frank Frith Reader, followed him to Australia two years later, sailing from London on the Australian Steam Shipping Co Ltd ship ARMADALE on 20 November 1912 (the ship's manifest shows Frank was then only 16 years old, an agricultural labourer by trade, and was also to disembark at Fremantle).

Frank joined his brother at Narrogin where he worked for and was befriended by the Sibley family of nearby Stretton. According to the 'Lawton-Sibley Tree' on Ancestry.com, the family was headed by New Zealand-born Louis Napoleon Sibley (1864-1920) and Helen McGowan (1866-1955) who were married at Waterloo in South Australia and lived for a time at Broken Hill in New South Wales before going to 'Westralia'. There they moved about a bit before settling on land at Stretton (the early electoral rolls gave their residential address as Popanyinning). By this time they had eight children including two sons and a daughter - Frederick Clarence ('Clary') Sibley, Walter Wilmot Sibley and Lilian Pearl Sibley - who were around the same age as the Reader boys (Walter and Clarence Sibley are pictured in the photo on the right).

The onset of the First World War saw Frank enlist in the 1st AIF at Wickepin in Western Australia on 7 June 1915. His attestment papers gave as his NOK his father Walter Herbert Reader of Beulah Cottage in Marden. His file also contained a signed form stating that because his parents were in England Frank, who was not yet 21 years of age, was unable to obtain their permission to enlist. The Australian authorities were clearly untroubled by this and Frank was allocated to the 6th Reinforcemants for the 16th Infantry Battalion. It seems more than likely that his decision to join the colours had been influenced by the earlier enlistment of his friend and workmate, Clary Sibley, at Boulder on 13 February 1915. Clary had been assigned to the 5th Reinforcements for the 16th Battalion and sailed from Fremantle on the HMAT A20 HORORATA on 26 April. He was assigned to A Company and joined his battalion on the Gallipoli Peninsular on 1 August.

2304 Private Frank Reader embarked from Fremantle on the HMAT A62 WANDILLA and joined the 16th Battalion at Gallipoli on 7 August where he would have been reunited with his good friend Clary Sibley. On 28 August he suffered a gun shot wound to the arm and chest and was evacuated to the 15th General Hospital in Alexandria where he died three days later. Walter and Ann were informed of Frank's death by telegram and a letter, written on 23 November 1915, which detailed how he had died. A telegram was also sent to 'Reader care Sibley Stretton via Narrogin WA'. Frank was buried in the Chatby War Memorial Cemetery (Plot F, Grave 197). A memorial plaque and scroll were posted to his parents in Marden in 1922. His last will and testament, filled out before he left Australia, ensured that his small war pension would also go to his mother.

Possibly motivated by the news of his younger brother's death, Sidney enlisted in the 1st AIF on 20 January 1916. He was allocated to the 16th reinforcemants for the 11th Infantry Battalion and proceeded overseas on the HMT SHROPSHIRE. After disembarking at Suez he was sent to Perham Downs in England and then the Etaples training establishment in France before joining his battalion on 18 August 1916. Five days earlier, 2068 Private Clarence Sibley, who had survived the Gallipoli campaign and had then proceeded with his unit to France, was killed in action during the battle of Pozieres. A witness statement subsequently provided to the Australian Red Cross indicated that he had been killed by a high explosive shell while sleeping in his dugout. He was buried by members of the battalion's pioneer platoon who marked his final resting place with a simple wooden cross. In response to a request from Clarrie's mother in September 1923, an officer from the Army's Base Records in Melbourne regretted it was not possible to provide a photograph of Clarrie's grave as 'the search parties, despite their earnest endeavours, have not succeeded in locating his resting place - this doubtless owing to the surface markings being obliterated by shell fire during the heavy fighting which took place in the area'.

Sidney escaped harm at Pozieres and moved with his unit to the Ypres sector in Belgium where he was wounded in action - a GSW to the right arm - and evacuated to the 45th Casualty Clearing Station where he died on 17 February 1917. His personal effects - an identity disc, battalion colours, 2 pipes, knife, cigarette lighter, two badges, photos, letters, wallet and a watch (damaged) - were subsequently sent to his father at 'Bulup Cottage Howaland Road' Marden in Kent. Sidney was buried at Dernancourt Communal Extension Cemetery (Plot 5, Row B, Grave 16).

The violent death of her two youngest sons, conveyed in each case by her local pastor, would no doubt have contributed to the suffering and angst we read about in Ann's obituary. The deaths of the Reader brothers, and their own son Clary, were also deeply mourned by Walter and Helen Sibley and their family in Stretton who placed the following notices in the Perth-based West Australian newspaper:

In Memorium. ANZAC Heroes. READER - In loving memory of our dear friend Private Frank Reader, 16th Battalion , died of wounds received at Walker's Ridge (Gallipoli), August 31 1915, aged 19 years 11 months; also Private S. S. (Jack) Reader, 11th Battalion, died of wounds February 17 1917, somewhere in France, aged 26 years 6 months. 'They fought a good fight in the trenches, In response to their country's call; Australia is proud of her heroes, Though only privates - that's all'. Mrs Sibley and family, Stretton (31 August 1917); and

READER - In loving memory of F. F. Reader, 16th Battalion, died of wounds August 31, 1915 aged 19 years. You will never be forgotten dear Frank, As long as life and memory last. Loved by all who knew him. Inserted by his sincere friends, Mr and Mrs Sibley and family, Stretton (10 August 1918, this edition also included two notices for Clarence 'Clary' Sibley).

Click here to see more photographs of the family of Silas and Jane Hickmott nee Bridger.

Image Sources:
Walter and Clarence ('Clary') Sibley, from the 'Lawton-Sibley family Tree' on Ancestry.com.
Remaining photos all courtesy of Marge Walker.

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