The Sun, Kalgoorlie 8 March 1914, page 7
A GOLDEN WEDDING IN A GOLDFIELDS TOWN
On Wednesday last Mr and Mrs Thomas Hickey of Burbanks celebrated their Golden Wedding at the village hall. Dancing was indulged in and the veteran joined in all the dances with the enthusiasm of a boy despite his seventy years. Mr Hickey was as active as many a man of fifty and his wife, who is a month his junior, is also a remarkably active woman for her years. Mrs Purdy, Mr Hickey’s sister and senior, by some nine years, also watched the proceedings with interest but refrained from dancing.
Mr Hickey was born in Melbourne in 1844, his sister Mrs Purdy having been born in Hobart. His father was a soldier in the 50th Foot (West Kent) Queen’s Own Regiment, also known as the ‘Gallant Fiftieth’, ‘The Devils Royals’ and the ‘Dirty Half Hundred’. The last name was awarded during the battle of Salamanca in July 1812, under the Duke of Wellington.
On 29th Feb 1864, Mr Thomas Henry Hickey was married in Creswick Victoria to Eliza Mary Miles.
“It was leap, year!” said, the old gentleman, with a smile.
Did Mrs Hickey propose? “No, by Jove! I’m responsible for that portion of the contract, and look here, I’ve never regretted the action. Fifty years has proved to me that marriage is less a lottery than a heart union. There are few blanks and many prizes.” Then the old man became reminiscent. “We had thirteen children, and four boys and three girls are still alive. Two of my sons died out here. Fine fellows both – one 6ft 7in., the other 6ft. 2in. That’s a son of mine, over 6ft. 4in. in his socks, standing there. All the tall people in the room I’m related to in some way or other.” (There was a score of six-footers present.) My shortest son is 6ft, and I’ve one daughter over that height.”
The home of William Hickey in Clunes c 1882: L-R – Thomas Henry Hickey (with dog) – William – James William – Eliza Hickey holding Francis Leo – Annie Agnes holding Edward Thomas. – Photo Ancestry.com
The band struck up a waltz. and the host hurried away to his partner, a girl of twenty. Strolling across the room, Mrs. Hickey made room. “I must congratulate you,” said our representative, “on keeping your husband so young after fifty years of nuptial bliss. What is the recipe?”
“Keeping the heart young, and wrinkling the face with smiles instead of frowns,”
said the old lady. “My advice to young wives is, Always be happy ! Always smile ! Don’t nag! Don’t scold when anything goes wrong! Don’t start to do your household duties when your husband is returning home from work! If you cheer him up when he has the blues, he won’t go out to the pub for sympathy and strive to forget his sorrows in beer.” The old lady smiled as her husband came up.
“I could almost get a divorce for the way you’re flirting with the. young girls tonight,” she I said. But she didn’t look as if she meant it. The love light of fifty years illumined her face, as a half-century before in old Creswick it reflected the joy of her young lover.
“How many grandchildren have you Mrs Hickey? “Twenty!” she replied. “And when we have a hundred great-grandchildren, we’ll be satisfied” said her husband, “All our children, were born in the one house in Clunes. I worked for twenty-one years continuously on the Dixon’s New North Clunes mine, worked under Lewis, then Tom Gilbert, then Joe Bryant, who was afterwards manager of the Morning Star at Mt. Magnet. Clunes was a grand place eh, Mother !” The old lady answered with a smile. She was back in the days of happy motherhood.
“There’s more gold will come out of Clunes yet,” he continued, “than has been recovered up to date. Still, W.A. is the best place after all. But I was telling you of the children, three of them were born on the 19th March, and all the thirteen were born between the 1st of January and the 30th of June. Not in the one year, of course, you know,” he added with a whimsical smile.
At this point, Jack Cox gave an exhibition of walking a wire. To celebrate the “Golden Wedding,” a dog that looked bit retriever, a bit Russian mastiff, and a lot of all other breeds entered into a heated argument with another dog. The host’s son-in-law heaved the pair out, and then again, the old man worshipped tripped a barn dance. Refreshments followed. Then wishing the old couple many happy returns of the day, our representative set out for Coolgardie.
The combined literary, commercial and mechanical staff of “The Sun” hope that Mr. and Mrs. Hickey will dance at their “Diamond Wedding.”
NOTE: They did indeed live to celebrate their diamond wedding anniversary in 1924.
Thomas Henry Hickey died in Perth aged 86 in 1930 and Eliza died the year before aged 85yrs. Two of his sons are buried in the Coolgardie Cemetery side by side. They have no headstone.
HICKEY Thomas Henry – d 8 Jan 1899, 21 yrs, Died at Burbanks from heart disease, at Burbanks R/C C40, Coolgardie Cemetery.
HICKEY William Andrew – d 25 Nov 1898, 29 yrs, Died at Burbanks. Occ: Blacksmith R/C C39, Coolgardie Cemetery.
Moya Sharp
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Thankyou Moya for this wonderful insight into my GG Grandparents Thomas & Eliza Hickey, it was an interesting read. Their daughter Priscilla Robbins (nee Hickey) is my Great Grandmother.
Enjoyed reading your post too, these are family members. Such a nice surprise to open up and read this.