Obituaries Australia

The funeral of the late Mr. Robert Wicks, whose death was briefly announced in our last issue, took place on Saturday afternoon, and proved to be one of the largest ever witnessed in Ryde. The cortege moved from the residence of Mr. S. Best, son-in-law of the deceased, about 3.30 p.m., a number of the deceased's grandchildren following the hearse on foot to St. Anne's churchyard, upon arrival at which the boys stood on one side and the girls on the other while the coffin was being borne into the church. In the church an impressive service was read by the Rev. H. A. Britten, assisted by Mr. G. M. Pope, and the Rev. Mr. Britten also read the service at the grave, the remains being interred in St. Anne's churchyard. The deceased was widely known throughout the district of which he was a native, and at the time of his death he was the oldest native in the district, and the esteem in which he was held was testified to not only by the very large number who attended to pay the last tribute of respect to his memory, but by the very large number of floral tributes sent by sorrowing friends and relatives. Among those who sent wreaths were Mrs. R. Wicks, Mr. and Mrs. S. Best and family, Mr. and Mrs. J. Cowell and family, Mr. and Mrs. S. Benson and family, Mr. W. Wicks and family, Mr. T. Wicks and family, Mr. and Mrs. A. Gordon, Mr. and Mrs. G. Fulford, Mr. and Mrs. W. Best, Alma, Bertie, and Willie Best, grand-children; Miss E. Wicks, granddaughter, Miss Cowell, granddaughter, Mr. T. Wicks, grandson, Mrs. P. Benson, sister, Mrs. J. Billington, sister, Mrs. Edward Terry and family, Mrs. Dewar, Mrs. H. Benson, Mr. and Mrs. W. Cox, Mr. and Mrs. W. Caller, Mr. and Mrs. C. Falkard, Mr. and Mrs. T. Cox, Mr. and Mrs. J. Benson and family, Mrs. Henry Small and family, Mr. and Mrs. A. O. Small and family, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Gallard and family, Mr. and Mrs. Parsonage, Mrs. G. Drury, Miss Hunter, Mr. B. Deane, Mr. and Mrs. Friend, Mr. and Mrs. Bennett, Mr. and Mrs. Tymes, Mr. and Mrs. Chestnutt, Mr. and Mrs. W. Woodcock, Mr. and Mrs. H. Watts and family, Mr. and Mrs. W. Dunn, and many others. The deceased was born at North Ryde on the 1st September, 1819, and would therefore have been 82 years of age on the 1st of next month. His father was also a native of the district. By trade the deceased was a wheelwright, but for many years he kept a butcher's shop in Ryde. He had eight children — four boys — Mr. Robert Wicks, of Grafton; Mr. William Henry Wicks, of Goulburn; Mr. Thomas Wicks, Ryde; and Mr. John George Wicks, who died about fifteen months ago; and four daughters, Mrs. Samuel Best, of Church street, Ryde; Mrs. James Best, Western Australia; Mrs. John Cowell, Darlington; and Mrs. Sydney J. Benson, of North Ryde. He leaves 70 grand-children and 43 greatgrand-children. The cause of death was senile decay, and for a year and ten months prior to his death he had lived with his eldest daughter, Mrs. Samuel Best, of Church street, Ryde.