Lehmann Henschke - Person Sheet
Lehmann Henschke - Person Sheet
NameHICKMER, Henry 
Birth26 Jan 1842, Brighton, Sussex121240
MemoPortland, Vic
BurialHamilton Cemetery, Hamilton, Vic7855
FatherHICKMER, Henry (ca1799-1881)
MotherHOWSON, Ann (ca1801-1884)
Obituary
Border Watch (Mount Gambier, SA : 1861 - 1954) Fri 26 Apr 1918121240
OBITUARY.
MR. HENRY HICKMER.
There are many of our readers who
will remember Mr. Henry Hickmer, of
Hamilton, because of the articles on
the early days of the South-East that
he contributed some years ago to the
"Border Watch," under his own name
and also under a nom de plume. Those
articles, written from personal know-
ledge by a man who was in the hey-
day of youth and young manhood when
the events of which he wrote took
place, were much appreciated and
carefully read. It is with regret that
we have to record Mr. Hickmer's death,
which took place at his residence in
Hamilton on Saturday night, April 19,
at the ago of 76 years. His decease
was the result of age, and he passed
peacefully and quietly away. The
following notes on his life were written
by himself:--I was born in Brighton,
Sussex, England, on January 26, 1842.
I left there in 1851, and arrived in Ade-
laide in May of that year with my
mother, father, and four sisters. I left
Adelaide in a couple of weeks, with my
parents and two sisters, in a small
schooner, and landed at Rivoli Bay,
on our way to Lake Leake Station,
my father and mother having arranged
with Mr. R. R. Leake to act as house-
keeper, etc. I left Lake Leake in
1853, the year in which Mr. R. R.
Leake married my sister, but I re-
turned in a few months and lived with
them until the death of my brother-in-
law (Mr. Leake), which occurred on
September 14, 1860. I was soon taught
to ride and wing the wild cattle. They
had been much neglected because of
nearly all the hands rushing away to
the gold diggings in Victoria. It was
not long before I became a great stock-
rider, winging the wild mobs, and
yarding and branding them with some
of the best stock-riders of the day,
Duncan Stewart, Jimmy Smed, Mac-
Pherson, Geo. Glen, Herbert Power,
Johnny Cunningham, Blueskin (abor-
iginal), his brother-in-law Larry, and,
more recently, James Pick. The last
named was a splendid hand in the
yard. Jacky Jacky, son of John Bull
(aboriginal) was my great mate, and a
splendid stock-rider. During my resid-
ence at Lake Leake and Glencoe the
wreck of the ship Jane Lovett oc-
curred near MacDonnell Bay. Her cap-
lain, who was watching the wreck and
cargo, was found with his throat cut,
and a hut-keeper on the Mount Schank
Station, then belonging to the Messrs.
R. R. and E, J. Leake, was supposed to
have done the deed. I remember him
riding up to Lake Leake (the police
were then after him) with a double
barrelled gun and calling out to Mr.
Robort Leake, "I want my wages." The
latter, who was standing at the door
with a revolver behind him in his right
hand, replied, "Leave the gun where
you are, and come, and I will talk to
you about your pay." At this moment
a horseman was seen approaching, and
as soon as the hut-keeper saw him he
put spurs to his horse, and went off as
fast as possible, jumping the three
rail fence, and never gave any more
trouble. In 1860 I was despatched by
Mr. R. Leake to find a wreck, word
having been brought to the station that
a ship had run on a reef on the coast,
opposite the station, about 20 miles
distant. Survivors were seen clinging
to the rigging, but it could not be stat-
ed how mnny, as there was no teles-
cope. Having been provided with one,
and a bottle of brandy to give to and
revive any partially drowned person,
and been otherwise fixed up, I found
the wreck, which proved to be the In-
ter-colonlal trader, the s.s, Admella.
She was nearly two miles from the
shore. I was camped there, with many
others, for over a week, until the ar-
rival of the Portland lifeboat, which
was brought to the scene by the s.s,
Ladybird. All the survivors were res-
cued and taken to Portland, with the
exception of the captain, who was
brought ashore. I was prosont at the
first Government land sale, held in the
Court-house, Mount Gambier. The of-
ficials, land agents, and others came by
way of Guichcn Bay (Robe Town), but
arranged for one of the inter-colonial
steamers to call for them at MacDon-
nell Bay, which had but recently been
discovered by Captain Germain, of the
Cape Northumberland lighthouse.
There was, of course, no road from the
Mount. I had the honor of piloting
some of the first persons who went
on board a steamer at MacDonnell
Bay. In 1861 I left Glencoe with Mrs.
R. R. Leake and another sister, with a
sorrowful heart, for Adelaide, and
lived with them near Glen Osmond.
I became a volunteer in the Glen Os-
mond and Mitcham Volunteer Com-
pany, and was present at several re-
views. I saw John M'cDouall Stuart
start on his memorable trip across
Australia, and return. In 1862 I ac-
companied Mr. Ferguson on a trip to
Mount Hamilton Station, near the edge
of Lake Eyre, at that time one of the
most northerly stations, and brought
down to Gawler Town the first mob of
fat cattle (250) that left the station,
having T. Connor only for a mate. We
were much put to it for want of water,
but eventually delivered the stock
without the loss of a single head. We
were seven weeks on the road. On the
way up to the station we fell in with a
mob of over 1,000 blackfellows, and
the only sign of civilization amongst
them was a felt hat and a pair of
policeman's trousers, with a white
stripe down the side of the leg. These
had been divided, and were worn by
two blacks. They were all well armed
with spears and waddies. We had
much difficulty in making them under-
stand us.
In 1863 I entered into partnership
with E. H. Bell, a cousin of Mr. Leake.
We had been together on Glencoe as
Hickmer & Bell, and purchased the
Kappinnie Station, near Warow, in the
Port Lincoln district, from Mr. Samuel
Goode, of Adelaide. A few years after
I entered into partnership with my
brother-in-law (Mr. H. W. Thirkell)
as Thirkell, Hickmer, & Co., general
storekeepers, in the township of Port
Lincoln. While this business continued
I lived with my sister. I was treasurer
of the Port Lincoln Mechanics' insti-
tute during the putting up of the stone
building, and helped to arrange for a
Government grant for its erection, and
I took part in the opening of the build-
ing. Mr. H. J. Smith, S.M., was the
first President. I was one of the stew-
ards of the racing club, and assisted
to procure and lay out the new race
course. Thirkell, Hickmer & Co, sold
their business, and I then returned for
it short time to live with Mr. Bell at
Kappinnie. I sold my share to him in
1871, and left Port Lincoln for Hamil-
ton, Victoria. I purchased a farm there
and rented another at MacLean's
Swamp, about 4 miles from Hamilton.
Subsequently I sold out there, and pur-
chased another farm in 1878, between
Cavendish and Balmoral, and selected
a portion of the Dundas Ranges. I
sold this farm in 14886. I next leased
some land near Montajup, portion of
the Warrayure Station. This not prov-
ing successful, I gave up farming, and
accepted an agency for a tea firm and
a life and fire insurance company. In
1892, I took up my residence in Milton-
street, Hamilton, and worked my agen-
cies by travelling the Western District
and Mount Gambier. I have done this
for the last 19 years, and am still doing
so (August, 1911).
Mr. Hickmer was married before he
left Port Lincoln, and had a family of
six daughters and three sons. His
eldest son died at Nutimuk, Victoria,
at the age of 19 years, in the year 1900.
The surviving sons are Messrs. G. A.
and Percy Hickmer, of Hamilton. Of
the daughters two are married, one is
in Melbourne, another in Coleraine,
and the rest at Hamilton.
OBITUARY.
MR. HENRY HICKMER.
There are many of our readers who
will remember Mr. Henry Hickmer, of
Hamilton, because of the articles on
the early days of the South-East that
he contributed some years ago to the
"Border Watch," under his own name
and also under a nom de plume. Those
articles, written from personal know-
ledge by a man who was in the hey-
day of youth and young manhood when
the events of which he wrote took
place, were much appreciated and
carefully read. It is with regret that
we have to record Mr. Hickmer's death,
which took place at his residence in
Hamilton on Saturday night, April 19,
at the ago of 76 years. His decease
was the result of age, and he passed
peacefully and quietly away. The
following notes on his life were written
by himself:--I was born in Brighton,
Sussex, England, on January 26, 1842.
I left there in 1851, and arrived in Ade-
laide in May of that year with my
mother, father, and four sisters. I left
Adelaide in a couple of weeks, with my
parents and two sisters, in a small
schooner, and landed at Rivoli Bay,
on our way to Lake Leake Station,
my father and mother having arranged
with Mr. R. R. Leake to act as house-
keeper, etc. I left Lake Leake in
1853, the year in which Mr. R. R.
Leake married my sister, but I re-
turned in a few months and lived with
them until the death of my brother-in-
law (Mr. Leake), which occurred on
September 14, 1860. I was soon taught
to ride and wing the wild cattle. They
had been much neglected because of
nearly all the hands rushing away to
the gold diggings in Victoria. It was
not long before I became a great stock-
rider, winging the wild mobs, and
yarding and branding them with some
of the best stock-riders of the day,
Duncan Stewart, Jimmy Smed, Mac-
Pherson, Geo. Glen, Herbert Power,
Johnny Cunningham, Blueskin (abor-
iginal), his brother-in-law Larry, and,
more recently, James Pick. The last
named was a splendid hand in the
yard. Jacky Jacky, son of John Bull
(aboriginal) was my great mate, and a
splendid stock-rider. During my resid-
ence at Lake Leake and Glencoe the
wreck of the ship Jane Lovett oc-
curred near MacDonnell Bay. Her cap-
lain, who was watching the wreck and
cargo, was found with his throat cut,
and a hut-keeper on the Mount Schank
Station, then belonging to the Messrs.
R. R. and E, J. Leake, was supposed to
have done the deed. I remember him
riding up to Lake Leake (the police
were then after him) with a double
barrelled gun and calling out to Mr.
Robort Leake, "I want my wages." The
latter, who was standing at the door
with a revolver behind him in his right
hand, replied, "Leave the gun where
you are, and come, and I will talk to
you about your pay." At this moment
a horseman was seen approaching, and
as soon as the hut-keeper saw him he
put spurs to his horse, and went off as
fast as possible, jumping the three
rail fence, and never gave any more
trouble. In 1860 I was despatched by
Mr. R. Leake to find a wreck, word
having been brought to the station that
a ship had run on a reef on the coast,
opposite the station, about 20 miles
distant. Survivors were seen clinging
to the rigging, but it could not be stat-
ed how mnny, as there was no teles-
cope. Having been provided with one,
and a bottle of brandy to give to and
revive any partially drowned person,
and been otherwise fixed up, I found
the wreck, which proved to be the In-
ter-colonlal trader, the s.s, Admella.
She was nearly two miles from the
shore. I was camped there, with many
others, for over a week, until the ar-
rival of the Portland lifeboat, which
was brought to the scene by the s.s,
Ladybird. All the survivors were res-
cued and taken to Portland, with the
exception of the captain, who was
brought ashore. I was prosont at the
first Government land sale, held in the
Court-house, Mount Gambier. The of-
ficials, land agents, and others came by
way of Guichcn Bay (Robe Town), but
arranged for one of the inter-colonial
steamers to call for them at MacDon-
nell Bay, which had but recently been
discovered by Captain Germain, of the
Cape Northumberland lighthouse.
There was, of course, no road from the
Mount. I had the honor of piloting
some of the first persons who went
on board a steamer at MacDonnell
Bay. In 1861 I left Glencoe with Mrs.
R. R. Leake and another sister, with a
sorrowful heart, for Adelaide, and
lived with them near Glen Osmond.
I became a volunteer in the Glen Os-
mond and Mitcham Volunteer Com-
pany, and was present at several re-
views. I saw John M'cDouall Stuart
start on his memorable trip across
Australia, and return. In 1862 I ac-
companied Mr. Ferguson on a trip to
Mount Hamilton Station, near the edge
of Lake Eyre, at that time one of the
most northerly stations, and brought
down to Gawler Town the first mob of
fat cattle (250) that left the station,
having T. Connor only for a mate. We
were much put to it for want of water,
but eventually delivered the stock
without the loss of a single head. We
were seven weeks on the road. On the
way up to the station we fell in with a
mob of over 1,000 blackfellows, and
the only sign of civilization amongst
them was a felt hat and a pair of
policeman's trousers, with a white
stripe down the side of the leg. These
had been divided, and were worn by
two blacks. They were all well armed
with spears and waddies. We had
much difficulty in making them under-
stand us.
In 1863 I entered into partnership
with E. H. Bell, a cousin of Mr. Leake.
We had been together on Glencoe as
Hickmer & Bell, and purchased the
Kappinnie Station, near Warow, in the
Port Lincoln district, from Mr. Samuel
Goode, of Adelaide. A few years after
I entered into partnership with my
brother-in-law (Mr. H. W. Thirkell)
as Thirkell, Hickmer, & Co., general
storekeepers, in the township of Port
Lincoln. While this business continued
I lived with my sister. I was treasurer
of the Port Lincoln Mechanics' insti-
tute during the putting up of the stone
building, and helped to arrange for a
Government grant for its erection, and
I took part in the opening of the build-
ing. Mr. H. J. Smith, S.M., was the
first President. I was one of the stew-
ards of the racing club, and assisted
to procure and lay out the new race
course. Thirkell, Hickmer & Co, sold
their business, and I then returned for
it short time to live with Mr. Bell at
Kappinnie. I sold my share to him in
1871, and left Port Lincoln for Hamil-
ton, Victoria. I purchased a farm there
and rented another at MacLean's
Swamp, about 4 miles from Hamilton.
Subsequently I sold out there, and pur-
chased another farm in 1878, between
Cavendish and Balmoral, and selected
a portion of the Dundas Ranges. I
sold this farm in 14886. I next leased
some land near Montajup, portion of
the Warrayure Station. This not prov-
ing successful, I gave up farming, and
accepted an agency for a tea firm and
a life and fire insurance company. In
1892, I took up my residence in Milton-
street, Hamilton, and worked my agen-
cies by travelling the Western District
and Mount Gambier. I have done this
for the last 19 years, and am still doing
so (August, 1911).
Mr. Hickmer was married before he
left Port Lincoln, and had a family of
six daughters and three sons. His
eldest son died at Nutimuk, Victoria,
at the age of 19 years, in the year 1900.
The surviving sons are Messrs. G. A.
and Percy Hickmer, of Hamilton. Of
the daughters two are married, one is
in Melbourne, another in Coleraine,
and the rest at Hamilton.
Spouses
Marriage26 Jan 1874, Residence Of Grooms Sister, Norwood, SA121243
Marr MemoBECHMANN
ChildrenAnn Caroline (1874-)
Emma Louisa (1876-)
Ruth Agnes (1877-1962)
Naomi Ethal (1879-1963)
Harry Robert William (1881-1900)
Percy Herbert (1883-1956)
Victoria May (1887-)
George Arthur (1889-1929)
Mildred Constance (ca1885-1963)