George Knight (1806 – 1871)

                              Hannah Knight (1808 – 1874)

George was born circa 1806 in Newbury, as yet no baptism record has been found. He

married Hannah Smith on 19 October 1828 at St Nicolas in Newbury. Hannah was born circa 1808 in Kingsclere. It is possible that Hannah was baptized 10 February 1808 at St Mary in Kingsclere, daughter of James Smith & Sarah Barnard but there a number of Hannah Smiths baptized in Kingsclere around 1808.

In the 1841 census George & Hannah with five children were living in Bartholomew Street in Newbury & George was recorded as a mealman. In the 1851 census George & Hannah with four children & a general servant were recorded at Town Mill in Newbury with George now a miller & mealman.

An announcement appeared in the Reading Mercury dated 5 August 1854 that the partnership between Edward & George Knight, corn dealers, millers & mealman was dissolved on 3 August 1854.

In an article in the Reading Mercury dated 22 March 1856 discussing the election of an alderman to Newbury Council it was mentioned that George was one of the largest rate payers & a man of solid business habits who took a lively interest in the affairs of the borough.

In the 1861 census George & Hannah with two daughters and a house servant were recorded as living in Hove & Flour Mill in West Mills with George recorded as a master miller employing eleven men and one boy. By the 1871 census George & Hannah were living in Speenhamland with a general servant & George was recorded as a miller employing thirteen men and one boy.

George died 5 December 1871 and announcements appeared in Newbury Weekly News on 7 December 1871 & Reading Mercury on 9 December 1871. In the latter it stated George died at Donnington Road in Newbury after a protracted illness. George was buried 8 December 1871 at Newtown Road Cemetery.

George left a will & probate was granted 28 March 1872 at the Principal Registry Office. The value of the estate was under £8,000. One of the executors was Edward Knight, his brother, also a mealman & probably buried 29 March 1879 at Newtown Road.

An announcement appeared in the Newbury Weekly News that the executors of George Knight were instructed to sell three lots at the Chequers Hotel in Speenhamland on 11 April 1872. The first lot was two mills, outbuildings, machinery & two cottages, the second lot was three parcels of meadows & arable land while the third lot was an allotment of land at Wash Common.

Hannah died 29 December 1874 at Speenhamland and was buried 2 January 1875 at Newtown Road Cemetery. She left a will and proabte was granted 17 February 1875 at Oxford. The value of the estate was under £800

Sources:as above