The family of Henry Knight

Shoemaker of 14 Gloucester Road and 11 The Plain

Henry was born in Olveston on 3rd April 1841, the son of Henry Knight, a shoemaker from Langford, Somerset and his wife, Sarah (nee Pike).  In 1851 the family had been living at the Hackett.  Next door were the family of John Knight, formerly a tanner from Broad Henbury in Devon and his wife, Elizabeth.  These appear to be Henry's grandparents.  By 1861 the family had moved to Alderley in Gloucestershire.  Henry's father had died of apoplexy in 1855.  Henry had taken up the family trade of shoemaker.  His mother, Sarah and sister, Jane, were running a day school.  Jane seems to have continued in the teaching profession.  Jane's obituary printed in the Western Daily Press of March 29th 1922 says that 'in the sixties she was governess at the Old National School' and the logbook for Sopworth School an entry for 22nd July 1877 was written by 'Jane Knight uncertified Teacher'.

 We have seen a voter's list for 1865 and another for 1874 and they both show that Henry Knight was entitled to vote because he owned the freehold of a cottage and garden in Hackett Lane. This would imply that Henry inherited the property, although he may not have lived in it.

On 23rd May 1867 Henry married Louisa Twining in St Paul's in Bristol.  Louisa was born on 11th May 1843 and was the daughter of Isaac and Ann Twining.  The 1851 census shows that the family lived for a time at the Hackett near Thornbury.  This is presumably how she first knew her future husband, as the Knight family lived only a few houses away.  Louisa was baptised at the United Reformed Church in Thornbury in July 1859.  Although she appears to have been born and baptised in Thornbury, the 1861 census shows that before her marriage Louisa was living with her family in St George in Bristol, where she was a dressmaker.

In 1870 Henry bought a house at 32 Castle Street for £124.  We are not sure if Henry ever lived here.  By the 1871 census Henry and the family were living at 14 Gloucester Road.  The Castle Street house was occupied by Richard Salmon, a painter at the time of the purchase.  The 1910 Rate Books shows Henry was still owning 32 Castle Street and renting it out to tenants.

By 1871 the house at 14 Gloucester Road was occupied by Henry Knight, a shoemaker aged 29 born in Olveston, his wife, Louisa aged 27 from Thornbury and their son, Austin Gilbert aged 3.  They were still there in the 1881 census.  Louisa was now working as a dressmaker and they had another son, Howard Elwin aged 10 months and a servant, Clara Screen, a nurse girl aged 13 from Olds Croft, Gloucestershire.

Of their children, Austin Gilbert (always known as Gilbert) was born on 26 March 1868 and Howard Elwell was baptised on 12th May 1880.  Both these children were baptised at the Congregational Independent Chapel.

The 1885 Rate Book shows Henry had just bought the house at 11 The Plain which had been put up for auction in 1884 following the death of the previous owner, Maria Thurston.  At this time Henry moved from Gloucester Road to live on The Plain.  Henry, Louisa and Howard  were still there in the 1891 census and the 1901 census by which time, their son, Howard had become a carpenter.  'Gilbert' died at Dawlish on 7th August 1890 aged 22.

At some stage, Henry and Louisa moved from the Congregational Church to become very active members of the Thornbury Baptist Church.  Henry died aged 70 on April 25th 1911 and was buried in the Baptist churchyard.  Louisa carried on living in the house.  She was joined by Howard and his wife after their marriage in 1921.  Louisa died in February 1926.

Howard Elwell Knight - born on 12th May 1880.   Howard trained to become a carpenter at Thornbury Castle and he joined the building firm of Bruton's where amongst other jobs, he worked on Oldbury Church.   On 7th May 1901 he purchased two houses in St Mary Street for £137.  These houses which later became known as 29 & 31 St Mary Street were let out to tenants by Howard until 1964 when they were acquired by Thornbury District Council for the site of a new library.

During the First World War, Howard served in the Royal Navy Air Service based at Flamborough Head.   We understand that he worked on seaplanes which were at that time made out of wood.  In 1921 he married Selina Kennedy in the Grimsby area, presumably they met when he was stationed in that area during the War.  They settled to live in Thornbury with Howard's mother at 11 The Plain in Thornbury.  Howard and Selina had several children: Henry Kennedy born 17th April 1922, Howard Ian James born 17th February 1924, Gilbert Ambrose born in 1926 and died the same year, Ernest born in 1927 and died the same year and Ruth Elizabeth born on 9th November 1928.  All three of the children who survived went on to attend Thornbury Grammar School.  We understand that Howard himself passed the scholarship for the Grammar School but was not allowed to go.

Howard, whose photo is shown on the right sitting outside his house, became well known in Thornbury in lots of ways.  He was a gifted musician.  As a member of the Baptist Brass Band, where believe he played both cornet and tenor horn and sometimes performed as a solist.  He was an organist at the Baptist Church and became an organ and piano tuner.  He became a part time woodwork teacher at the Council School and he taught at evening classes.  He also built the scenery for the school plays which were held at the Cossham Hall.

The electoral registers up to 1970 (the last we have seen) show Howard, Selina and their daughter, Ruth continued to live at 11 The Plain.  Howard died in 1971 aged 91.  Selina died in 1979 aged 87.

This page was last updated: 04/06/2011