After celebrating his golden wedding Mr. Harry Knight, of 39, King’s-road, Rushden, put on his gardening clothes and went off to harvest sugar beet on a farm near the town. He retired from boot work seven years ago, but his life-long devotion to gardening remains undimmed, and his wife declares that “he would live up the field.” He was a willing volunteer when a local farmer needed seasonal help.
Before the couple were married by the Rev. H. K. Fry at St. Mary’s Church on Rushden Feast Monday (September 26th) 1893, Mr. Knight had done seven years’ soldiering. He was born at Grafton Underwood in a lodge on a farm where his father worked, and his parents brought him to Rushden at the age of five. As a youth he joined the Bedfordshire Regiment and was soon sent out to India, where he served for more than five years, his companions including the late Mr. George Jolley, of Rushden.
Volunteer Days
On completing his Army service he was for several years in the Volunteer Force. He became a boot finisher and worked “outside” for a time, but when John Cave and Sons began to employ finishers inside their factory he entered their service and was with them for 11 years, the great fire occurring during that period. Later he was for 17 years at the C.W.S. boot works. He was one of the earliest members of the Athletic Club.
Mr. Knight is aged 75. His wife (nee Pheobe Jane Chantrell) is four years younger. She came from Irthlingborough, her native place, five years before her marriage, and has given first place in her life to domestic affairs, which have involved a great deal of hard work. There were seven children of the marriage, and war and illness hit the family hard.
The eldest son, serving with the 12th Lancers was killed in the retreat from Mons in 1914, and another was wounded at Hill 60. Only three of the children now survive – they are Mr. William Knight, of 92, St. Margaret’s-avenue, Rushden, Mrs. A. E. Knight, of 31, King’s-avenue, Higham Ferrers, and Mr. L. Knight, of 74, Harborough-road, Rushden. There are five grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
The family has been associated with St. Mary’s Church.
“Life Too Fast”
Mrs. Knight thinks life is too fast nowadays. She has always liked Rushden and can remember it when “there were no streets no matter where you went.”
A complete family celebration was held on Sunday. Many greetings and gifts were received, and Mrs. Knight was particularly delighted with the bouquets presented to her by her daughter and the youngest grandchild.
Mrs. Knight has a brother and three sisters, all older than herself. They are Mrs. Charles Knight, Stanwick (79), Mr. John Chantrell, 20, Jubilee-street, Irthlingboro' (77), Mrs. E. Nurrish, Connaught-street, Kettering (75) and Mrs. Charlotte Stanley, Boghton-road, Kettering (73). Mr. Knight’s sister, Mrs. Isaac Minney, of Wellingborough-road, Rushden, is over 80, and his brother, Mr. Luke Knight, of Orchard-place, is 72.
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