In loving memory of Oliver Edwin Hickman who sadly passed away on 7th February 2016.
Oliver Edwin Hickman, generally known as Ted, was born in Hucknall on 5th February 1927. His parents, Oliver Francis Hickman and Maria Alice Hickman nee Slader, were from Gloucestershire and Somerset and Ted had an elder sister Alice Ruth. Ted was educated in Colwick, left school and became a retail salesman before being called up in February 1945. He served in the Grenadier Guards 2nd Battalion in London and Germany before returning to shop management in 1947. The family lived in Redhill and then West Bridgford. Ted met his wife to be, Doreen Scott at 50-Bob Tailors, and they were married on 9th March 1954. The Scott family were from Aberdeen. Ted and Doreen became landlords of The Windmill in Nottingham’s Lace District, then The Town Arms on the Embankment, finally running a beer off on Vernon Rd, Basford. Their first daughter Jackie was born in 1958 and the birth of Olivia in 1964 caused the family to return to West Bridgford (and retail management). The couple also bought a house on Douglas Rd and one on Musters Rd, West Bridgford, letting them as flats.
In 1971 Ted moved the family to Rhodesia, where he managed clothes stores in Salisbury (Harare) and Bulawayo for CT Stores. After 18 months the family returned to the UK and the Hickman family home in West Bridgford. Ted managed shoe shops in Nottingham and Leicester for Turners Shoes, then a Shoefayre shop on Exchange Walk, Nottingham. Jackie and Livvy married and left home, remaining in Nottinghamshire, close to their parents. A granddaughter, Lauren Richardson was born to Livvy and husband Ian in 1991. An industrial accident and ill health caused Ted to retire and he and Doreen later moved to sheltered accommodation in Edwalton in 1994. Ted and Doreen received congratulations from the Queen on their 60th Wedding Anniversary in 2014. Ted became seriously ill in November 2015 and passed away two days after his 89th birthday, in the John Proctor Ward of Lings Bar Hospital.
Would family members and friends who would like a copy of any of the three tributes read at Ted’s funeral service please contact us, directly or through this site. We will also be setting up online space to share family photographs either on Flickr or dropbox.
Some beautiful pictures here, thank you; this is a wonderful tribute. Our sincere condolences to the Hickman family on the sad loss of Ted. We are thinking of you all with love at this sad time. Lots of love from Julie and family xxx
The coffin tributes chosen by Ted’s family
- A bunch of tulips from Lauren and Livvy
- An arrangement of vegetables, since Ted had loved growing fruit and vegetables and wasn’t much interested in flowers
- A book sculpted to read ‘I love you’ from Jackie
- A red rose from Doreen, and from Jackie and Livvy
The music used at Ted’s Memorial Service: The entry music ‘Tenement Symphony’, sung by Tony Martin, appeared in the 1941 Marx Brothers’ comedy, The Big Store. Dad asked us to find it for him many years ago, but didn’t say why it he particularly liked it. Lili Marlene, sung by Marlene Dietrich, needs no introduction. Dad said it was loved by the troops on both sides. During this music the congregation reflected on the poignant lyrics and their memories of Ted. We left the chapel to ‘I Know Where I’m Going’ sung by Kathleen Ferrier. The celtic folk song was featured in a 1945 romance film by Powell and Pressburger, set on the Isle of Mull which starred Wendy Hiller and Roger Livesey. In hospital Dad called it ‘our’ film, and I can remember Mum and Dad singing it often.
The coffin tributes chosen by Ted’s family - A bunch of tulips from Lauren and Livvy - An arrangement of vegetables, since Ted had loved growing fruit and vegetables and wasn’t much interested in flowers - A book sculpted to read ‘I love you’ from Jackie - A red rose from Doreen, and from Jackie and Livvy
The Poetry read at Ted’s Memorial Service Livvy read the poem ‘Do Not Stand At My Grave And Weep’ by Mary Elizabeth Frye. Livvy read a letter from Lauren, who is away serving as a photographer on a cruise ship, and was only able to be with the family in spirit. Jackie read a tribute to her father which included extracts from two works of poetry: From the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, in the version by Edward FitzGerald which includes themes on the need to live each day to the full and to look forwards without regrets – and to raise a glass to the poet once he’s gone. The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ, Moves on: nor all thy Piety nor Wit Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line, Nor all thy Tears wash out a Word of it. Come, fill the Cup, and in the Fire of Spring The Winter Garment of Repentance fling: The Bird of Time has but a little way To fly—and Lo! the Bird is on the Wing. Three extracts were chosen from ‘The Prophet’ by Kahlil Gibran from the sections ‘On Marriage’, ‘On Children’ and ‘On Death’. (These had been used before on other family occasions – Jackie and David’s wedding and Alice’s funeral.)
Cover of Order of Service
Cover of Order of Service
Comments