William Bicknell

William Bicknell
Born	c. 1808 or 1816
Died	31 March 1876 Chepstowe, Victoria
Years active	1872-1875
Known for	Farmers' Inn Royal Drum Hotel
Children	Ada Jane
Parents	Ellis Bicknell (father) Amy Wallis (mother)

William Bicknell was a publican at Chepstowe, Victoria, 1872-1875

History

William Bicknell was born c.1808, the son of Ellis Bicknell and Amy Wallis. Other genealogy research gives his date of birth as being c.1816 at Long Sutton, Somerset, England.

He married Emily Harriet Hammond 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, his wife 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...

Bicknell owned property in Beaufort including two hotels. He was declared insolvent and the court auctioned his properties in February 1865:

SATURDAY, 25th FEBRUARY. IMPORTANT SALE OF FREEHOLD HOTEL PROPERTY AT BEAUFORT. To Hotel Keepers and Others. MR F. W. DODD has received instructions to offer for sale by public auction, at Beaufort, on Saturday, the 25th February, at one o'clock p.m., All that VALUABLE PROPERTY lately owned and occupied by William Bicknell, now insolvent, comprising two hotels, one known as the Royal Hotel, situate at corner of Niell and Laurence streets, and the other as Bicknell's Hotel, situate at corner of Niell and High streets, in the township of Beaufort; together with several valuable building allotments, also situate within the township of Beaufort. Terms-Ten per cent cash, forty per cent within one month, the balance may remain on mortgage on the property if required at ten per cent per annum. The premises may be inspected and further particulars obtained on application to MR W. EDWARD NICKOLS, County Court Officer, Beaufort.

In September 1872, William Bicknell advertised his intention to apply for the license of the Farmers' Inn at Chepstowe:

NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR A PUBLICAN'S LICENSE. — To the Bench of Magistrates at Carngham. — I, WILLIAM BICKNELL, of Chepstowe, do hereby give notice that I desire to obtain, and will next Licensing Meeting apply for a PUBLICAN'S LICENSE for a house situate at Chepstowe, containing four rooms, exclusive of those required for the use of the family. The 2nd day of September, 1872. WILLIAM BICKNELL.

The license was granted three weeks later. In December 1872 the license was renewed.

In December 1873 the license for the Royal Drum Hotel at Chepstowe was granted to Bicknell. In January 1875, he applied for the license:

W. Bicknell applied for a special temporary license for two months for a house at Chepstowe known as the Royal Drum. Owing to the absence of the police magistrate, the application was postponed.

He advertised his intention to apply for the license in March 1875:

SHIRE OF RIPON, COLONY OF VICTORIA - FORM OF NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR A PUBLICAN’S LICENSE.—To the Bench of Magistrates at Carngham.—I, WILLIAM BICKNELL, of Chepstowe, do hereby give NOTICE that I desire to obtain, and will at the next Licensing Meeting APPLY for a PUBLICAN'S LICENSE for a house situated at Chepstowe, containing three rooms exclusive of those required for the use of the family. The 18th day of March, ad. 1875. (Signature of Applicant) WILLIAM BICKNELL

The license was granted one week later. In December 1875 his license was renewed, but the newspaper report does not name the hotel.

Bicknell died in on 31 March 1876:

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

His 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.