Home	Heinrich & Rebecca Ficken
Family:
	Hermann & Anna Ficken					John & Charlotte Meyer
	Heinrich Ficken					Rebecca Meyer
Born:	16th March 1836; Lesum, Hannover, Germany					5th June 1838; 46, Brick Lane, Spitalfields, London
Died:	12th January 1903					13th December 1923, aged 86 years
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Marriage:	29th September 1861; Christ Church, Spitalfields
Children:	Rebecca Ficken, John Ficken, Jane (Jinny) Ficken, Henry Ficken, Lilian Ficken

In 1861 Heinrich married Rebecca Meyer at Christ Church, Spitalfields. The marriage was witnessed by Edward Stanton Root and Harriet Ann Root. Edward and Harriet married 3Q1859 (East London, 1c, 54). Edward was probably the father of Edward Root, who married Heinrich and Rebecca's daughter Jinny, and Harriet was Rebecca's sister.

The 1871, 1881 and 1891 census shows Heinrich and Rebecca were living at 159 Cannon Street Road.

Heinrich and Rebecca had four children:

• Rebecca Ficken, born 28th July 1862 in York Street, Mile End . Rebecca was christened 31 August 1862 at St Mary Whitechapel, Stepney, London (IGI). Rebecca was a tobacco moulder. On 14th May 1891 Rebecca married Andrew Troescher born about 1864 in Germany. It's interesting to note that Rebecca's age is incorrect on her wedding certificate - perhaps to make sure she didn't appear older than her new husband. Andrew and Rebecca appear in the 1901 census living in Bethnal Green. Andrew is described as a watchmaker and a German citizen. Andrew and Rebecca don't appear to have had any children. Rebecca died 1Q1909 aged 46 (Bethnal Green, 1c, 113).

• John Ficken, born 4q1864 (St George in the East, 1c, 406), a brass finisher, and by 1901, a gas fitter. John married Hannah Sarah Archer in 3q1890 (Stepney, 1c, 737). The 1901 census shows John living at Commodore Street in Mile End with his wife Hannah (born 1866 in St George in the East) and their children
  • (Hannah) Grace Ficken, born 3q1891 (Mile End, 1c, 506), died 3Q1920 aged 29 years (Mile End, 1c, 277)
  • Charlotte Lilian Ficken, born 2q1894 (Mile End, 1c, 526), died 1q1902 aged 7 (Mile End, 1c, 329)
  • Horace John Ficken, born 3q1896 (Mile End, 1c, 516)
  
  John died 2q1904 aged 39 (Whitechapel, 1c, 162).

  The 1911 census shows Hannah with Grace and John living in 22 Commodore Street, Stepney.

• Jane "Jinny" Ficken, born 28th January 1867, christened 3rd March 1867 at St Mary Whitechapel, Stepney.

  
  Jane, 1929

  Jane was a sewing machinist, as shown in the 1901 census and 1911 census. In 3Q1913 (Stepney, 1c, 599), Jane, aged 46, married Edward Root. Jane died 4q1950 (West Ham, 5a, 601) aged 82.

• Henry, born 10th June 1870, christened 17th July 1870 at St Mary Whitechapel, Stepney (IGI) (3q1870 St George in the East 1c 395). Henry died the following year (4q1871 St George in the East, 1c, 324) aged 1 year.

• Lilian Ficken, born 1878.

For most of his life Heinrich worked as a sugar baker (there is more information here on German immigrants working as sugar bakers). By the time of the 1901 census he was described as a housepainter and as a tradesman on his daughter Lilian's marriage certificate in 1902, although his death certificate shows Heinrich as a suger refiner.

During his life Heinrich had variations on his names:

• In 1861 on his marriage certificate , his name is shown as Henry, although the signiture is Heinrich
• In 1878 on his daughter Lilian's birth certificate he is shown as Georg Heinrich Ficken
• In the 1881 census, 1891 census and 1901 census he is shown as Henry Ficken
• In 1902 on his daughter Lilian's marriage certificate and his death certificate in 1903 his name is George Henry Ficken

Rebecca was probably illiterate as the signiture on her daughter's birth certificate and her husband's death certificate are both "X the mark of Rebecca Ficken.

The 1901 census shows Heinrich as an inmate in the Bethnal Green workhouse. At the time, his wife Rebecca was living with two of their daughters in Mile End (census here). Rebecca was described as the married head of the household which would imply Heinrich didn't live there any more. Similarly, Heinrich's death certificate of 1903 shows Heinrich living in Bow while his wife Rebecca was living in Bethnal Green. What happened to Heinrich and Rebecca?

The 1911 census shows Rebecca and Jane sharing a single room at 112, Grove Road. This census also shows that 3 out of 5 of Rebecca's children had died by this time

In 1923, Rebecca died, aged 86 years. At the time, she was with her daughter Jane at 565 Barking Rd; Plaistow