Wickham Family

In loving memory of John R(ushley) Wickham, beloved husband of Alice Wickham, who died in his 80th year.

Stone was broken and on the ground for some time before the 1980 NZSG survey. Since restored in concrete. Bottom half inscription badly faded, but includes Alice Wickham, who died 28 August 1929, aged 81.

Historical information

According to Rootsweb (sighted 14 March 2011), John Rushley Wickham, born 1838 in Wiltshire, England, married Alice Grimmer (b. 1848).

The Wickhams were in Avondale by c.1884 (Auckland Star, 16 April 1884, p.4). John Wickham was one of our earliest butchers, leasing a shop from grocer Frank Morley at the corner of St Judes and St Georges Road, from November 1884 for five years, 25s per week for first three years, 30s per week the remainder. (NZ Herald, 5 April 1886, p3) He lived in a house rented from John Buchanan, near the Whau Bridge. (NZ Herald, 26 January 1886, p. 5) By the 1890s, he served on the Board of Managers for the Avondale Presbyterian Church. (Auckland Star, 22 January 1891, p.3)

Plot 14, Row D, gravestone for John and Alice Wickham

He died 5 August 1918, and was buried 7 August. (NZ Herald, 8 August 1918, p. 6)

An old colonist in the person of Mr John Rushley Wickham died last week in his 80th year. He arrived in Auckland by the ship Devonshire on 7 February 1863, the day on which HMS Orpheus was lost on the Manukau Bar. He engaged in farming pursuits in the North Auckland and Taranaki districts but in later years resided at Avondale. He is survived by his widow, five sons and four daughters, besides a number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren. His sons are Mr Edward Wickham of Avondale; Messrs Albert, Walter and Howard Wickham of Stratford; and Mr Leonard Wickham of Kaponga, Taranaki. His daughters are Mesdames Pooley and Bethell of Avondale; Mrs W Redshaw of Mt Albert; and Mrs I Redshaw of Herne Bay. [AWN 15.08.1918]

Son Leonard Wickham was born in 1881 in Avondale.

Alice Wickham died at her niece's resident, 100 St Lukes Road, Mt Albert. (Death notice, Auckland Star 29 August 1929, p. 1)