George Louvain Bicknell (1928 - 1991)

Born 4 Dec 1928 in Ilford, Essex, England

Ancestors

Son of Ernest William Bicknell and Minnie (Groves) Palmer

Husband of Doris Edith (Simpson) Bicknell — married 6 May 1948 in Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia

Descendants

Died 12 Sep 1991 at age 62 in Chelsea Heights, Victoria, Australia

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Steven Bicknell [send private message]

Biography

George was born on 4 Dec 1928 in Ilford. His birth registration lists his mother as Minnie Bicknell formerly Groves, and his father as George William Bicknell. No documentary evidence has yet been found to indicate that his mother Minnie ever married George Bicknell, and similarly, no evidence of George William Bicknell has yet been located.

On 29 Sep 1939, George was living with mother Minnie and step-father Charles Palmer at 49 Fambridge Rd, in Maldon, Essex.

On 2 Feb 1946, George completed training as a Deck Boy at the Merchant Navy Training Ship, Vindicatrix. He was assigned the official no. 102634.

George arrived in Australia in 1947, serving on an as yet unknown merchant vessel. He disembarked in Brisbane, and on 8 Jan 1947 he enlisted in the Australian Army at Kelvin Grove, Brisbane and was assigned Service No QX501337. His basic training was conducted at Greta in New South Wales, before he underwent trade training as a motor and refrigeration mechanic.

George absconded from the Army shortly after, and on 6 May 1948 married Doris Edith Simpson at the District Registrar's Office in Liverpool, New South Wales. As George was AWOL from the Army, he married under the name George Louvain Palmer, the surname of his step-father. Because Doris was two days short of her 17th birthday and did not have her parents permission to marry, she married under the name of her eldest sister, Hilda Simpson.

George worked as a roof tiler before becoming a Crane Driver for John Thomson Australia. He was engaged in the installation of industrial boilers at Power Stations, Sugar Mills, and other industries throughout Australia, including Wallerawang Power Station, Tully Sugar Mill and Yallourn W Power Station. He rose to supervision and management level and was often engaged in the application of asbestos material to boiler surfaces and associated piping.

He was diagnosed with Mesothelioma (Asbestosis) in 1990 with an anticipated life expectancy of twelve months. He passed away 12 Sep 1991. He was cremated at Springvale Crematorium in Melbourne and his remains retained by his widow Doris until her own passing in 1999. She was also cremated and their remains were interred together at Allambie Gardens in Nerang, Queensland, together with their eldest daughter Katie, who remained with them for life.

DNA matches of son Steven in 2019/20 finally led to the identification of George's father as Ernest William Bicknell of Sussex, England.

DNA

Maternal relationship is confirmed by an AncestryDNA test match between Steve Bicknell and his 2nd cousin 1x removed, David Neal. Their MRCAs are the great grandparents of Steve Bicknell, and great great grandparents of David Neal, Ephraim Groves and Elizabeth Bell (Cooke) Groves. Predicted relationship from AncestryDNA: 3rd cousin, based on sharing 116 cM across 9 segments; Confidence: Extremely High.

Maternal relationship is confirmed by an AncestryDNA test match between Steve Bicknell and his 2nd cousin 1x removed, Debra (Perrin) Austen. Their MRCAs are the great grandparents of Steve Bicknell, and great great grandparents of Debra Austin, Ephraim Groves and Elizabeth Bell (Cooke) Groves. Predicted relationship from AncestryDNA: 4th cousin, based on sharing 66 cM across 5 segments; Confidence: Extremely High.

Paternal relationship is confirmed by an AncestryDNA test match between Steve Bicknell and his Half 1st cousin, Gerald Bicknell. Their MRCA is the grandparent of Steve Bicknell, and Gerald Bicknell, Ernest William Bicknell. Predicted relationship from AncestryDNA: 2nd to 3rd cousins, based on sharing 308 cM across 10 segments; Confidence: Extremely High.

Paternal relationship is confirmed by an AncestryDNA test match between Steve Bicknell and his 2nd cousin, Neil Bicknell. Their MRCAs are the great grandparents of Steve Bicknell, and Neil Bicknell, William John Bicknell and Hannah (Butcher) Bicknell. Predicted relationship from AncestryDNA: 2nd cousins, based on sharing 206 cM across 10 segments; Confidence: Extremely High.

Sources

• "Family Tree," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : modified 28 October 2016, 00:12), entry for George Louvain Bicknell(PID https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:LVL8-2HP); contributed by various users.
• England Birth Registration BX 457091
• Australia Death Registration, Victoria 22813/1991 C