The Knight Family of Dorset

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Census

1841

1851

1861

1871

1881

1891

1901

Dumer's Lane, Radcliffe, Bury, Lancs

Children

Sheila Gwendoline Knight (1913-1997)

Sheila Gwendoline Knight, the only daughter of Alfred James Knight and Louisa Jane Isaac, was born 17th June 1913 at 48 Emmadale Road, Weymouth and died in Scotland 1st July 1997.

Gwen, as Sheila was always known, said she had no brother's or sister's. She said she had no aunts, uncles or cousins either but this has proved NOT to be the case.

It has now been proven that Gwen's father, Alfred was a witness at his brother-in-law's marriage. This was William Thomas Isaac to Tamar Meech in 1923 at Weymouth. As Louisa was William's sister she must also have been at the wedding and very probably Gwen was there as well. She would have been 10 years old so she would be of an age to know it was indeed her uncles wedding!

Gwen c.1920

I think Gwen told me she was about 7 in this photograph. I am now wondering if this was perhaps one taken for the wedding in 1923 when she would be 10 years old. The Photographer's name is G F Herbert, Weymouth.

Gwen c.1929

She attended St Mary's School in Weymouth and then went on to the Central School. If anyone has any school photos of this period and especially if it could be her class, please let me know.

Gwen used to tell us that she had worked on the trams or trolley buses as well as one ending up in a bomb crater. There were no trams or trolley buses in Weymouth. She had also told us that she was in a place around Manchester but all that is remembered is that it began with a 'B'. Putting the pieces together, a bomb crater would mean she was there at some point during the war years. There is a story of trams being hit by a bomb so this could be the same story which has been forgotten over the years.

We had no idea what she would be doing in the Manchester area when all the family were from Weymouth. However, it now has come to light that she had an aunt who ended up in BURY. It now seems fit together.

Gwen went to live with her aunt, uncle and cousin in 315 Dumer's Lane, Radcliffe, Bury, Lancashire. She was in charge of the Odeon Cinema in Bury as well as others around the area and Manchester. She went back to Weymouth when her mother died at the end of 1938 and probably remained there from then.

Parish Church, Chickerell

Monte Video, Chickerell - the oldest remaining part of building.

Grave Stone of Thomas Isaac