Hixson

Home | Families | Hixson

Albert ‘Ernest’ Hixson (1886-1962)

Ernest was one of eight children born to Swanage boatman Thomas Nicholas Hixson (1845-1922) and  Mary Emma ‘Emma’ Hixson neé Farwell (1855-1911).

In 1909 Ernest was living in a furnished bedroom on the High Street, Swanage for which he paid rent of 6s. 6d. a week to his father Thomas whose address was given as 1 Seaside, Swanage. By 1911, Ernest aged 24 was back living in the family home then at Exeter House, Swanage. He was a solictor’s clerk. His mother was running a fancy goods business.

The following year, Ernest married Elsie Collins (1885-1957). Ernest and Elsie had four children (see later). In 1915, Ernie and Elsie were living at Dalkeith in Princess Road, Swanage. By 1918 they were living at Encombe and Ernest was working for the Encombe Estate. By 1921 the family were living in Kingston. Later on the family are known to have lived in the property on West Street, Kingston between the Forge and the Scott Arms (which now forms part of the Scott Arms).

Ernest gained quite a reputation on the cricket pitch and played for Kingston for many years. In an end of season match in 1932, when Wareham & District League champions Swanage took on the ‘Rest’ of the League, the report stated “but E. Hixson, a member of the Kingston Club, was almost unplayable, a fact which is borne out by his analysis, which shows eight wickets for ten runs”. In February 1935, Ernest was elected Vice-Chairman of the Wareham Cricket League (which included up to ten clubs in the wider area which extended as far as Poole, including Kingston, Corfe Castle and Swanage). Ernest was also Secretary of the Swanage Pier Company from at least 1931 to 1939. In 1938, Ernest was an eyewitness to the Fairy Swordfish crash at Polar Wood in which three RAF men were killed.

Elsie died in May 1957 aged 72 and was buried at Kingston on 29 May 1957. Later that  year Ernest married Ellen Martha ‘Pat’ Ward (1889-1980). They lived in West Street. Ernest died on 30 April 1962 and Pat died in 1980.

Children of Ernest & Elsie:

1.   William Gerald Hixson (1913-1983)

William was born at Swanage on 7 June 1913. In 1939 he married Helena May Werrey-Easterbrook (1920–2000). William and Helena had two daughters.

william and helena2
William and Helena. Photographs courtesy of Andrew Gibson.

2.   Frank Arthur Hixson (1914-1982)

Frank was born at Swanage on 15 November 1914.

3.   Douglas John ‘Jack’ Hixson (1920-1949)

Jack is believed to have been invalided during World War 2. He died at The Borough Sanitorium, Weymouth on 14 November 1949 aged 29. Jack was buried at Kingston on 19 November 1949. He is remembered on the World War 2 memorial plaque in Kingston New Church.

4.   Kenneth ‘Ken’ Oswald Collins Hixson (1922-2007)

Ken was born on 1 November 1922. In 1950 he married Doreen H Hawkes. Ken and Doreen had one daughter and three grandchildren. Ken was Secretary of the Wareham & District Skittles League for 40 years. Ken died at Poole Hospital on 24 October 2007 aged 84.

ken via andrew gibson
Ken Hickson
william douglasjack frank via andrew gibson cropped
William, Jack and Frank. Photographs courtesy of Andrew Gibson.

If you have any further information, memories, photographs etc. about the Hixson family then please get in touch with us.

Page last updated: 8 January 2016

Comments are closed.