Emily Wickenden

Biographical information provided by Lynette Buchanan for the He Tohu exhibition:

Emily Hannah Wickenden nee Ford, was born in 1845 in Brasted, Kent, England. Her father was Philip Ford of Kent. On 1 November 1863 at age 19 Emily married Samuel William Wickenden, a blacksmith aged 22, in Chevening, Kent. In 1871 the family of Emily aged 26, Samuel 29, were living in Sevenoaks, Kent, England with 4 children. George 4, Anne 3, and Phillip 2 were born in Otford, Kent, and Walter the baby was born in Sevenoaks. Sadly Phillip died that same year 1871 and Walter died in 1872 aged 1 year.

On 2 July 1874 the family of Emily, Samuel, George and Anne embarked on the ship Douglas as assisted emigrants to Wellington where they arrived on 22 October 1874. They settled in Masterton where Emily lived for about 40 years before her death aged 70 years, at Homebush, Masterton on 8 April 1915. She had been ailing for some time. Emily is buried at the Masterton Cemetery, 3 Archer Street, Q.E. Park, as is her husband Samuel who died on 7 January 1920 aged 79. Their daughter Anne Wickenden Hunter died in 1932 followed by their son George Philip in 1948.