Emily Harriet Bicknell

Emily Harriet Bicknell
Born	Emily Harriet Hammond c.1830
Died	Nhill
Years active	1865
Known for	Royal Hotel
Home town	Beaufort
Spouse(s)	William Bicknell
Children	Emily Harriet (1857) Ada Jane (1858) Harry Haythorne (1861) Annie Augusta (1861)

Emily Harriet Bicknell was a publican in Beaufort, <1865>.

History

Emily Harriet Hammond was born c.1830.

She married William Bicknell in Melton Mobray, Leicester, England, on 24 February 1853.

They emigrated to Australia, and their children were born on the goldfields near Beaufort:

• Emily Harriet, 1857, at Raglan
• Ada Jane, 1858, Beaufort
• Harry Haythorne, 1861, Beaufort.
• Annie Augusta, 1861, Beaufort.

There was a Bicknell's Hotel in 1861 at either Raglan or Beaufort.

In June 1861, she was the guest of honor at the Royal Saxon mine:

Amongst the public events of our little community the starting of the Royal Saxon steam engine, which was inaugurated with all the honors by Mrs Bicknell, some weeks ago...

William was insolvent by February 1865, and his properties were listed for auction. This included both Bicknell's Hotel and the Royal Hotel.

Following her divorce she applied for the license of the Royal Hotel in Beaufort:

Application for Publican's License. To the Bench of Magistrates at Beaufort, in the Shire of Ripon. I, EMILY HARRIET BICKNELL (single woman, by virtue of an order under the hand and seal of Frederick Roper Pohlman, Esquire, police magistrate at Beaufort, aforesaid, bearing date the twenty second day of February last past, made in the Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Jurisdiction) now residing at Beaufort aforesaid, do hereby give notice, that it is my intention to apply to the justices sitting at the Court of Petty Sessions to be holden at Beaufort aforesaid, on the fourth day of April, 1865, for a certificate authorising the issue to me of a Publican's License for a house situated at Beaufort aforesaid, and being the house hitherto commonly called and known as BICKNELL'S ROYAL HOTEL, situate in Neill street, Beaufort, aforesaid, containing two sitting rooms, and four sleeping rooms, independently of the rooms occupied by myself and family, which house is occupied by me, and which I intend to keep as an inn or public house ; not now licensed, EMILY HARRIETT BICKNELL. ROBT. M'NIECE, C.P.S. Court House, Beaufort, 16th March, 1865.

Her husband died on 31 March 1876 at Chepstowe where he was the publican of the Royal Drum Hotel:

DEATH Bicknell.— On the 31st of March, 1876, at his residence, Chepstowe, Bicknell, in his sixty-eighth year. Home papers please copy.

Her daughter, Ada Jane, was married in June 1876:

DIGNUM—CHEPSTOWE.—On the 8th June, at Church of England, Sandridge, by the Rev. T. R. Smithson, Oscar, youngest son of the late Andrew Dignum, of Adelaide, to Ada Jane, second daughter of the late William Bicknell Chepstowe.

In January 1881 Emily was listed as having a publican's license for the Commercial Hotel in Nhill, Victoria.

In June 1886 she was in court for allowing drunken persons on the premises. There had been competitions taking place in the bar as to whether a man could drink six pints of beer in four minutes:

Emily Harriett Bicknell, the licensee, deposed that she was not present at the time the conduct described was going on, and knew nothing whatever of it. If she had known, she would have gone in and stopped it. There was no row of any kind, only laughing. She was not well, and was in the parlor. William Reed was in her employ as barman, and she had given him strict instructions to serve no one who was intoxicated. She never allowed anyone who was under the influence of drink to be served. Mr Ireland drew attention to the high character of the house kept by Mrs Bicknell, and to the excellent manner in which it was conducted by her. Mr Twigg said that ever since the unfortunate occurrence referred to, Mrs Bicknell had been deeply grieved at it. There were a number of gentlemen present who had come a long distance to testify to to the excellent manner in which Mrs Bicknell conducted her business. The Sub-Inspector said he had nothing whatever to say against Mrs Bicknell, and he believed if she had been present she would not have allowed it. The police, however, had considered it their duty to take proceedings, but not as against Mrs Bicknell. The Chairman said the Police were quite right in taking proceedings. The words "knowingly permitted" had been put into the clause, and that gave the defendant the power to show that she did not know of it. The Sub-Inspector repeated his objection that the licensee was responsible for the servant's act, but as the Bench decided otherwise of course he must bow to their decision. He would, however, report the matter with the view of having the law altered. The case was dismissed, and the court adjourned..."

Emily died in Nhill on 10 June 1900.