Parents/grandparents of Martha Hicking or Hickling of Littleover, m Richard Lee.

[Arachne]

Hi, I'm trying to get back a bit further back on my paternal grandmother's maternal side. I have a note (sadly lacking in names) left by a now deceased aunt, in which she says:

"My great great great grandparents lived in England and were wealthy landowners.They had a daughter, who was my great great grandmother. Her father was concerned for the poor and belonged to a group of people who helped them".

What might this group have been? A  religious movement like the Plymouth Brethren or something similar?

"One of the members of this groups was a wealthy farmer and he was friendly with the landowner.. The farmer had known the daughter of his friend since she was a little girl. When she grew up he fell in love with her and wanted to marry her..But the girl's mother did not approve. Her daughter was sent to a finishing school in Paris in hopes that the romance would die down, but when the girl returned the couple still wanted to marry, so her parents consented.

The farmer's name was Hicking (sic). He and his wife lived in Littleover in Derbyshire. They in turn had a daughter called Martha and she was my great grandmother.. The farmer and his wife used to have dances on their lawn sometimes to entertain the people from the village. At one of these dances Martha met a young man from the village, Richard Lee (a boilermaker or something in the engineering line). History repeated itself - this couple fell in love and their parents didn't approve, but did eventually give their consent."

Martha & Richard then married and emigrated to New Zealand.

Any detail about Martha's parents and /or grandparents would be gratefully received. I find this mysterious group of philanthropists intriguing as well, if anyone can help with that.

[jomcd967]

Hi Arachne,

It would really help if you posted what you already know by way of names and dates and places, it is best to work back from your grandmother, to her parents names and dates, etc.

Everyone on here is incredibly helpful but a bit more detail may be needed.

Jo 

[rosie99]

This looks like Richard & Martha's marriage so we have some idea of dates

Marriage December qtr 1866 
Hickling    Martha       
Lee    Richard       
Derby    7b   771

The marriage certificate would help with their parents names

[jomcd967]

1871 Nottingham has this...
Richard Lee, 28, engine fitter, born Codnor Park, Derby
Martha Lee, 27, born Ripley Derby
Henry, 3, born Lincoln, Lincolnshire
Ann E, 2, born Nottingham
George R, 3 months, born Nottingham.

Jo 

[jomcd967]

1861 Ripley Derby
George Hicking, agricultural labourer, born Codner Derby (same place as Richard Lee above)
Mary, 53, b. Derby
Martha, 18, scholar, b. Ripley Derby
Mary A, 16, ditto
Stephen, 14, ditto

Jo 

[jomcd967]

In 1851 George is a farmer in Belper Derby and wife Mary's birthplace is Loscoe Derby, with further children:
Henry b.1836 Ripley
Hannah b.1838 Ripley
Elizabeth b.1840 Ripley

Jo 

[jomcd967]

A George Hicking married a Mary Watson, 4 Jun 1833, Pentrach Derby..... You would need buy one the children's birth certificates to see if this is the right marriage.

Jo 

[jomcd967]

New Zealand Cemetary Records Eas Hamilton
Richard Lee, died 2 June 1931, age 89, also his wife Martha, d. 19 May 1938, age 94.

Martha's obituary.....unfortunately no mention of her parentage...
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19380521.2.182

And Richards....with name of ship....
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19310604.2.106

Jo

[suzard]

A George Hicking married a Mary Watson, 4 Jun 1833, Pentrach Derby..... You would need buy one the children's birth certificates to see if this is the right marriage.

Jo 

I think the p.o.marriage is Pentrich Derbyshire

Suz