PIONEER FAMILY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23083, 8 January 1937, Page 10

PIONEER FAMILY

REUNION AFTER MANY YEARS SIX SONS AND FOUR DAUGHTERS (Per United Press Association) ■ ) NELSON, Jan.'7.' Six sons and four daughters; the complete family of the' late Mr and Mrs George Hickmott, of Collingwood, were reunited at the homestead of Mr John Hickmott after a separation of 43 years. Several members of the family prior to this had not seen one another for periods ranging up to 30 years. . . ,- The members of the original family are: Messrs Thomas Hickmott (Motueka), George Hickmott (Feilding), John Hickmott (Collingwood), William Hickmott (Riwaka), Horace Hickmott (Hastings), Charles Hickmott (Collingwood), and Mesdames Ashley Brown (Auckland), L. Clear (Hamilton), J. Carter (Collingwood), and J. Moore (Tasmania). It is worthy of mention that the youngest member of this family is 49. Their children number 42, and in addition there are 42 grandchildren. A unique feature is that there has not been a death among the members of the original family or their descendants at the reunion. The late Mr and Mrs George Hickmott, with their three sons, Thomas, George, and John, left London for New Zealand in 1874 in the sailing ship Hannibal. After a residence of approximately 20 years in the Motueka district, where the other seven members of the family were born, Mr Hickmott, sen., took up a stretch of virgin bush at Collingwood. Their home was built of pit-sawn timber, and the bricks for the chimneys were carried on the backs of the men for a considerable distance. The bush was cleared in time, and the land was successfully farmed. The homestead was demolished only a year ago, and a quantity of the timber was so sound that it was used in the construction of a modern residence.