For many years my family have been holding a Hickson Gathering in Knitson, a small village near Swanage, near where Frederick and Elizabeth Hickson started a private school at the turn of the last century.
However, my research has shown that the Hicksons come mainly from Cheshire, Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire. This latter seems to be the origin of the Arms and family crest for the Hicksons. About the period of 1600, there was Thomas Hixon who was the Keeper of the King's Wardrobe, James Hickson who was a prominent Brewer and benefactor and the Rev Christopher Hickson. I have been unable to find out much about the families of the first two, but believe them all to be related to each other. The Rev Christopher Hickson went to Ireland and started a dynasty of Irish Hicksons in the peninsula of Dingle. Apart from Churchmen, both Catholic and Protestant, their descendants became landowners, ship builders and merchants. They married into the wealthy families of the area. Several of them became High Sheriffs of Kerry.
Several Hicksons emigrated to Canada (New Brunswick) and others further afield. From Canada they moved on to America where many can be found today. Others have returned to England, whilst many can be found in Australia and New Zealand.
Last Spring my wife and I visited Co Kerry and stayed in one of the old Hickson houses. We toured the area and spoke to many of the people. The Irish are so relaxed and wonderful people, the countryside is fantastic and the place reeks of the history of the Hicksons, so few of whom still live there. We felt that this was the ideal place to hold the next reunion of the Hicksons (however the name is spelt), and to give us all the possibility of discovering where so many of our relatives lived.
I do hope that you can relive some of my enthusiasm.
Queries should be directed to Anthony Hickson
My aim is to link as many Hickson families together as I can.
