Richard Atkin Knights (1870–1952) – Stationmaster at Oxenholme
- born on 11 October 1870 at Ely, Cambridgeshire
- third of five children born to John Knights (1836-1911) and Rachel Knights nee Atkin (1842-1907)
- in 1881 living at Holy Trinity, Cambridgeshire, England
- in 1891, Richard aged 21 was a railway porter boarding at Pemberton, Lancashire
- married Mary Hall (1872–1937) in Wigan, Lancashire, in 1892
- Richard and Mary had four children John, Edward, Lillian and James, all born between 1893 and 1900 – see sections for each child later – the first three children were baptised together on 15 March 1896 and the last was baptised there on 9 December 1900
- in 1896 the family were living at 57 Cambridge Street, Wigan (now demolished) and Richard was a foreman porter
- by December 1900 the family were living at 20 Kendal Street, Wigan (still standing) and Richard was then a railway platform inspector
- stationmaster at Oxenholme living in the stationmaster’s house at 6 Natland Terrace, Oxenholme on 2 April 1911 – mother in law Hannah Hall was staying with them
- in ‘Recollections of Oxenholme‘, W. L. Harris wrote “The Stationmaster was Mr. Knight, a tall man who seemed to spend most of his time in his office, only appearing on the platform occasionally when one of the more important main-line trains was due.”
- stationmaster at Carnforth in 1920 aged 50
- promoted to stationmaster at Tebay in 1922 after 17 years’ service at Oxenholme
- by 1937, Richard had retired and was living at Hillcrest, Oxenholme
- wife Mary died on 4 April 1937 aged 65 – they had been married 45 years
- in September 1939, Richard was living at Hillcrest, Oxenholme with son James, daughter Lillian and her husband Lawrence Shepherd
- Richard died on 10 December 1952 in Westmorland at the age of 82
John Richard Knights (1893–1976)
- born 8 July 1893 in Wigan, Lancashire
- baptised on 15 March 1896 at St Catherine’s, Wigan with brother Edward and sister Lillian when living at 57 Cambridge Street
- living at 20 Kendal Street by December 1900
- locomotive engine cleaner aged 17 living with parents at 6 Natland Terrace, Oxenholme on 2 April 1911
- married Marian Winder (1891-1969) in 1917
- John and Marian had one son John Richard Knights (1930-1948)
- railway guard in September 1939 living with wife Marian in her father’s house at 8 Burton Road, Kendal
- son John died in 1948 aged 18
- wife Marian died in 1969 aged 77
- John died in 1976 aged 82
Edward George ‘Ted’ Knights (1894–1942)
- born on 2 July 1894 in Wigan, Lancashire
- baptised on 15 March 1896 at St Catherine’s, Wigan with brother John and sister Lillian when living at 57 Cambridge Street
- living at 20 Kendal Street, Wigan by December 1900
- apprentice boot maker aged 16 living with parents at 6 Natland Terrace, Oxenholme on 2 April 1911
- married Katie Webb (1887-1977) by special licence at St Mark’s, Natland on 15 September 1919
- Ted and Katie had two children:
- son Richard Northam Knights (1920-1981) – born 7 June 1920 – aircraft draughtsman in 1939 – married Vera Kathleen Joan Broomfield (1922-1996) in 1945 – sadly one of their two daughters Jane Edwina Knights (1954-1967) died aged 13 following an accident on the road where they lived – Richard patented a number of improvements to aircraft landing gear – Richard died in 1981 – after Richard’s death his widow Vera married Peter Reginald Clarke (1921-2005) in 1982
- daughter Joan Knights born 23 May 1924 – married Trevor Perry but later divorced – married Frederick Thomas Gribble (1923-1988) in 1986 – Joan died 6 Nov 2007
- living at Addingley, Hill View Road, Hucclecote near Gloucester by 1939
- aircraft inspector in 1939 for the Gloster Aircraft Company at Hucclecote
- Ted died at the Royal Infirmary in Gloucester on 19 July 1942 at the age of 48
- buried at Hucclecote near Gloucester on 22 July 1942
- probate granted 13 August 1942 to his widow Katie
- widow Katie died in 1977
Lillian Florence Knights (1895-1967)
- born on 10 September 1895 in Wigan, Lancashire
- baptised on 15 March 1896 at St Catherine’s, Wigan with brothers John and Edward when living at 57 Cambridge Street
- living at 20 Kendal Street by December 1900
- apprentice dressmaker aged 15 living with parents at 6 Natland Terrace, Oxenholme on 2 April 1911
- married cycle dealer Lawrence H Shepherd in 1936
- in September 1939, Lillian and Lawrence were living at Hillcrest, Oxenholme with her father and brother James
James Arthur Knights (1900-1941)
- born on 20 August 1900 in Wigan, Lancashire
- baptised on 9 December 1900 at St Catherine’s, Wigan when living at 20 Kendal Street, Wigan
- aged 10 living with parents at 6 Natland Terrace, Oxenholme on 2 April 1911
- electrical engineer in September 1939 living at Hillcrest, Oxenholme with his father (and married sister Lilian and her husband)
- James was involved in a serious road traffic accident at Appleton on 17 April 1941 when his motorcycle was in collision with a lorry
- sadly he died from his injuries a week later on 25 April 1941 in a Warrington hospital
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Page last updated: 9 November 2022