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GEORGE E. D. HICKMORE |
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1911 to 1997 |
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George Edward Dixon Hickmore was born at Cowley Street in East London on 11th February 1911, the second of six children born to John Richard Hickmore and Minnie Beatrice Hickmore née Dixon. |
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In early 1916 he survived a Zepplin attack which damaged the family home in West End Avenue, adjacent to Whipps Cross Hospital and resulted in the evacuation of his mother and six-week-old sister to Chichester in West Sussex. |
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Upon completion of his education he worked for a time as a rent collector before following his father into the insurance business. He soon became well known and trusted by the many customers on his round at Leytonstone in East London. |
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In 1933 he married Annie Maxey, but their only child Sylvia, who was born prematurely in August 1936, lived for only a single day. However, during her confinement, Annie had met a young lady who subsequently gave birth to a baby boy whom she was unable to keep. An agreement was reached between them and in 1944 the young lady’s baby was legally adopted by herself and George. |
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In later years the whole family moved home to Chichester and it was here that George was to spend an active retirement. Following the death of his wife Annie in 1982, George became increasingly interested in tracing his family tree. With help from both his cousin Audrey King and a distant relative named Roy Rayment, George spent most of his remaining years carrying out extensive research into the lives of his ancestors. |
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George died suddenly from a heart attack at home in May 1997 at the age of 86 years. He was cremated at Chichester Crematorium, his ashes being interred with his wife at Chichester Cemetery. |
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George’s boundless energy and enthusiasm for family history research was very infectious and he will doubtless be fondly remembered by all those with whom he came into contact during the course of his research into the origin of his surname. |
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Roy Rayment. |