Elizabeth was born in Burghclere Hampshire on the 30th September 1857.
She was the fourth child of Charles and Eliza Garrard (nee Franklin), her mother died when Elizabeth was three and a half. At the time of her mother’s death in April 1861 the family was living in Harts Lane, Burghclere.
Elizabeth was educated at Burghclere School and worked as a teacher or governess prior to her marriage to John Wickens, a police constable, on the 22nd October 1879 at the age of twenty two.

At some time before the beginning of 1881 Elizabeth & John were living in Oxford Road, Woodstock Oxon where John was then stationed. Emily Ruth, the first of their eight children was born there in March 1881. John left the police force for health reasons and by 1883 the family where once more living in Burghclere.

While in Burghclere Elizabeth gave birth to six more children: William in February 1883, Walter in March 1886, George in October 1887, John in April 1889, Frederick in February 1891 and Annie in October 1894. Her last child Elsie was born after the family moved to 4 Adeys Building, York Rd, Newbury.
Elizabeth’s husband died in June 1899 at the age of 45, her youngest child was then only 13 months old having been born in May 1898.
Elizabeth continued to live in York Rd until 1916, by then 4 Adeys Building had become 22 York Road. She then moved to Yew Tree Cottage, Shaw Rd, Newbury, where she died from stomach cancer on 27th March 1921 aged 63.

Elizabeth was buried in Newtown Road Cemetery on 30th March; the cost of her funeral was £15-2-0p.

Three of Elizabeth’s children emigrated.
• John went to live in Canada in April 1914.
• Elsie married an Australian serviceman and sailed with him to Melbourne Australia in August 1919.
• Emily along with her son also sailed to Melbourne Australia in February 1922.
Elizabeth’s youngest son Frederick died of pneumonia in October 1918 aged 27.

Sources:Personal research