Ancestors of Harriet A KNOWLES (1875 - 1945)

Charles married Eliza BUTCHER in the June Quarter of 1845 (awaiting certificate).   

William Henry KNOWLES was born on 7th August 1847 in Dudley. the son of Charles KNOWLES and Eliza BUTCHER. Charles KNOWLES was a miner at the time of his son's birth.   William's siblings were John, Joseph and Richard.

1851 Census Entry

Source Citation: Class: HO107; Piece: 2032; Folio: 281; Page: 5; GSU roll: 87439.

Name: Charles Knowles Age: 28 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1823 Relation: Head

Spouse's name: Eliza Gender: Male Where born: Dudley, Worcestershire, England

Civil Parish: Dudley Ecclesiastical parish: St Thomas Town: Dudley County/Island: Worcestershire Street address: George Street Occupation: Miner

Condition as to marriage: Mar

Registration district: Dudley Sub-registration district: Dudley ED, institution, or vessel: 1j Household schedule number: 18

Household Members: Name Age

Charles Knowles 28

Eliza Knowles 24

Richard Knowles 5

William Henry Knowles 5

John Knowles 9 Mo

1861 Census Entry

Source Citation: Class: RG9; Piece: 2056; Folio: 56; Page: 14; GSU roll: 542910.

Name: Charles Knowles Age: 45 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1816 Relation: Head

Spouse's name: Eliza Gender: Male Where born: Dudley

Civil Parish: Dudley Town: Dudley County/Island: Worcestershire Street address: Constitution Hill Occupation: Miner

Condition as to marriage: Mar

Registration district: Dudley Sub-registration district: Dudley ED, institution, or vessel: 15 Household schedule number: 81

Household Members: Name Age

Charles Knowles 45

Eliza Knowles 34

Richard Knowles 15

William Knowles 14

John Knowles 10

Joseph Knowles 4

Tracing the family in 1871 and 1881 census's brought a few... surprises.

In 1871 William and Joseph are with their mother in Dudley.

1871 Census Entry

Source Citation: Class: RG10; Piece: 3010; Folio: 106; Page: 2; GSU roll: 838858.

Name: William Knowles Age: 23 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1848 Relation: Son

Mother's name: Eliza Gender: Male Where born: Dudley, Worcestershire, England

Civil Parish: Dudley Ecclesiastical parish: St James County/Island: Worcestershire

Street address: 7 Walters Row, Dudley

Registration district: Dudley Sub-registration district: Dudley ED, institution, or vessel: 5 Household schedule number: 5

Household Members: Name Age

Eliza Knowles 44 Hd Mar Tailor b Dudley

William Knowles 23 Unm Coal Miner b Dudley

Joseph Knowles 14 Coal Miner b Dudley

Mary Palmer 22 Boarder

Charles Knowles however... 

1871 Census Entry

Source Citation: Class: RG10; Piece: 808; Folio: 111; Page: 6; GSU roll: 838695.

Name: Charles Knowles Age: 56 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1815 Relation: Convict

Gender: Male Where born: Worcester, Worcestershire, England

Civil Parish: Woking Town: Knaphill County/Island: Surrey Country: England

Occupation: Convict

Registration district: Guildford Sub-registration district: Woking ED, institution, or vessel: Invalid Convict Prison Neighbors: View others on page Household schedule number: 1

Household Members: Name Age

Charles Knowles 56

And brother Richard...

1871 Census Entry

RG10; Piece: 2007; Folio: 18; Page: 30; GSU roll: 831753.

1871 Portland, Dorset. Richard KNOWLES Inmate Convict. Aged 24. Unm b Dudley, West Mids.

I haven't yet traced the fourth son, John beyond 1861.

In 1881 Census, the situation isn't much better

1881 Census Entry

1881 Census: PARKHURST PRISON

Charles Knowles 1815 Dudley, Worcestershire
Joseph Knowles 1855 Birmingham, Warwickshire

1881 Census Entry

Pentonville Prison, 1881 Index of Prisoners, Surnames A - K

Richard Knowles 1847 Dudley, Worcestershire. Married. Convict Inmate.

I haven't traced Eliza beyond 1871.

So what did they do?  There's a family story that the Knowles came from money.  On this ‘evidence'... it might not originally have been theirs. 

UPDATE: Well, thanks to some research on the Gale's Newspaper site I have discovered that Charles Knowles was not exactly a master criminal.  He was more of your get drunk, rob someone to get money to buy more alcohol career criminals.  To the extent of actually being so drunk in one robbery that he passed out at the scene and had to be woken up by the police so they could arrest him! 

Meanwhile, William Henry and his young family are in Hartlepool...

1881 Census Entry:  

Name  Relation Marital Status Gender Age Birthplace Occupation Disability

Wm. Hy. KNOWLES   Head   M   Male   32   Dudley, Worcester, England   Rivitor (Ship)    

 Priscilla KNOWLES   Wife   M   Female   32   Dudley, Worcester, England       

 Ada Alice KNOWLES   Daur   U   Female   8   Stockton, Durham, England   Scholar     

 Harriet A. KNOWLES   Daur   U   Female   5   Northormsby, York, England   Scholar    

 Elizabeth KNOWLES   Daur   U   Female   4   Wensbray, Stafford, England   Scholar    

 Fredk. Wm. KNOWLES   Son   U   Male   3   W Hartlepool, Durham, England        

Source Information:   Dwelling   12 Commercial St   Census Place Stranton, Durham, England   Family History Library Film   1342180   Public Records Office Reference   RG11   Piece / Folio   4908 / 81   Page Number   14

I managed to track down Richard in the 1891 and 1901 Census...

1891 Census Entry

RG11; Piece: 248; Folio: 106; Page: 37; Line: ; GSU roll: 1341054.

1891 Cannock, Staffordshire

in the household of Sarah FOWLER, widow

Richard KNOWLES Boarder Unm 45. Coal MIner b Dudley, West Mids

note: household includes son Richard FOWLER aged 1 b Hednesford, Staffs.

RG12; Piece: 2220; Folio 38; Page 36; GSU roll: 6097330.

1901 Census Entry

1901 Census: Wallsall, Bloxwich All Saints - 28 Alfred Street.

RG11; Piece: 248; Folio: 106; Page: 37; Line: ; GSU roll: 1341054.

Richard KNOWLES 54 Hd Mar b Dudley, West Mids. Coal Miner Hewer

Sarah KNOWLES 55 Wf Mar b Wednesbury, Staffordshire

Richard KNOWLES 10 Son b Hednesford, Staffordshire

Ruth KNOWLES 9 Dau b Hednesford, Staffordshire

Joseph MILLWARD 57 Boarder

 He seems to have married his landlady, but I haven't tracked down a marriage yet.

My branch of the Knowles remained in Hartlepool:

1891 Census Entry

1891 England Census Source Citation: Class: RG12; Piece: 4063; Folio 50; Page 34; GSU roll: 6099173.

Civil parish: Stranton Ecclesiastical parish: St Pauls Town: West Hartlepool County/Island: Durham

Street address: 46 Lowthian Road Hartlepool

Registration district: Hartlepool Sub-registration district: Hartlepool

ED, institution, or vessel: 35

Household Members: Name Age

Wm Hy Knowles 41

Priscilla Knowles 42

Ada A Knowles 18

Harriett A Knowles 15

Elizabeth Knowles 14

Frederick W Knowles 12

Joseph H Knowles 10

Albert E Knowles 8

Walter E Knowles 4

1901 Census Entry 

1901 England Census Source Citation: Class: RG13; Piece: 4638; Folio: 118; Page: 33.

Name: William H Knowles Age: 52 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1849 Relation: Head

Spouse's name: Priscilla Gender: Male Where born: Dudley, Worcestershire,

Civil Parish: West Hartlepool Ecclesiastical parish: West Hartlepool St Paul County/Island: Durham Street address: 46 Lowthian Road

Registration district: Hartlepool Sub-registration district: Hartlepool ED, institution, or vessel: 37 Household schedule number: 197

Household Members: Name Age

William H Knowles 52

Priscilla Knowles 52

Harriett Knowles 24

Elizabeth Knowles 23

Albert Knowles 17

Walter Knowles 14

Evelyn Knowles 7

William Henry KNOWLES married Priscilla WESTON in the March Quarter of 1872 (awaiting certificate).  They had eight children:

Ada Alice KNOWLES b DecQ 1872 in Stockton on Tees.  On 1 Aug 1898 Ada Alice KNOWLES married Joseph CARTWRIGHT at St Pauls Church, Hartlepool. 

Aug 1 1898 [465] Joseph Cartwright 23 Bachelor, Grocer of 1 Trinity Terrace, North Ormesby (Father: Henry Cartwright, Grocer) to Ada Alice Knowles, 25, Spinster of 46 Lowthian Road, Hartlepool. (Father: William Henry Knowles, Rivetter). Witnessed by Frederick William Knowles and Harriett Knowles

They had a son, Henry Vincent CARTWRIGHT, born in 1900.

Joseph CARTWRIGHT's family also came from Dudley before moving up to the North East.  I have not yet traced a connection with the Priscella CARTWRIGHT who was Ada's great grandmother (through the Weston's) but am fairly certain there must be one.

Harriet Ann KNOWLES b 29 Jun 1875 in North Ormesby, Middlesbrough.  Married James Robert HARRISON in 1904 (see under Harrisons)

Elizabeth KNOWLES b 1876 Wednesbury in Staffordshire.  Married George H BLENCH in 1906 in Hartlepool.

Frederick William KNOWLES b DecQ 1878 in West Hartlepool.

Joseph Henry KNOWLES: was baptised at Christ Church, West Hartlepool on 19 Jun 1881 and was born on June 2nd of the same year. The family lived at 12 Commercial Street in Hartlepool at the time and William Henry was working as a Boiler Smith.

In 1908 in Hartlepool he married Edith FAWCUS.  They had two children, Violet and Joseph Henry.

Albert Edwin KNOWLES was born in the DecQ 1883.  In 1906 Albert Edward Knowles married Ethel ABELSON and in 1907 they had a son, Geoffrey Leopold KNOWLES. He was born on 12 May 1907 and baptised at St Paul's Church on 6 June 1907. The family lived at 87 Wilson Street and Albert worked as a Plater at the time.

Walter Ernest KNOWLES was born on the 18 Mar 1887 and baptized on 6 Apr 1887 at Wesley Methodist Church in West Hartlepool.

Eveline May Weston KNOWLES was baptised at St Paul's Church in West Hartlepool on 31 Aug 1893. The family were at 46 Lowthian Road in Hartlepool by this time and William Henry was working as a Mechanic.