Abraham Knight was born in Clerkenwell, London on Saturday 14 July 1860 [1], the son of Thomas Charles Knight, a tin foil caster from Whitechapel, London and Elizabeth Martha Warner from Shoreditch, London. Abraham was born at 13 Pear Tree Court, Clerkenwell, London, a small road connecting Farringdon Road (near the Betsey Trotwood pub) to Clerkenwell Court, about 400m south of Mount Pleasant Post Office. By the mid-nineteenth century the area around Pear Tree Court had become built up with housing and workshops and whereas a few of the older, larger houses remained and redevelopment had created a denser topography with shabby side streets and alleys supporting an increasingly poor population. By 1875 the dilapidated and insanitary brick and timber houses in Pear Tree Court had been condemned as unfit for habitation and were removed in order to widen the roadway. [2]

Abraham was the sixth of seven children, his elder siblings being Mary Ann, Louisa, John Thomas, William and Eliza and younger sister Catherine (see family tree, below).

Abraham Knight (1860 - 1914)

Abraham Knight's Immediate Family

The Knight family were still living in Pear Tree Court at the time of the 1861 census [3] some eight months later, although they had moved from further along the road to number 27. The eight members of the family were: Thomas Knight aged 39, employed as a gate keeper; his wife Elizabeth Knight aged 41 employed as a bank teller; Charles Calcutt aged 19 a labourer; Mary Ann aged 11, Louisa aged 10 and William aged 5 all listed as scholars; Eliza aged 4 and Abraham aged 7 months. Note that Charles Calcutt's relation to the head of the family is recorded as 'son-in-law', (step-son) as he is Elizabeth's son from her first marriage.

Ten years later the Knight family were still living at 25 Pear Tree Court. The 1871 census [4], [5] show Abraham, aged 10, living with his father Thomas, a metal caster, his mother Elizabeth, and siblings Elizabeth, Catherine and William.

Reference [2] describes the worst housing conditions as being in the warren around Pear Tree Court where some of the buildings dated back to Elizabethan times, with numerous houses, 'dark, squeezed up, wavy in their outline, and depressed about the roof, like crushed hats'. Most of the buildings were very small and crowded, with an average of about ten people to each house. Residents were generally of the poorest class, including costermongers, laundresses, and general labourers. Sanitation was rudimentary, and though the major landlord employed his own doctor and missionary to look after his tenants, the mortality rate here was almost twice that for the parish as a whole. As noted at the time, the landlord, despite claims to have the best interests of his tenants at heart, 'neither ventilates the rooms nor enlarges the stifling yards. A little more cleanliness might help the missionary, and would certainly lessen the doctor's work'.

It is not known which school Abraham attended.

By 1881 the Knight family had moved to Holborn, and the 1881 census [6] for Holborn shows six members of the Knight family living at 7 Leather Lane , which connects Theobolds Road to High Holborn, not far from Hatton Garden. At this time Abrahams's father, Thomas Knight, was employed as a labourer, as was his elder brother William. Abraham, aged 20, was employed as a wood turner.

Some two years further on Abraham had set up home with Mary Etherington, although it was another ten years before they married (see below). Their first child, Florence Agnest was born on Monday 6 August 1883 at 2 Eliza Place, Clerkenwell, a small courtyard opposite the Saddlers Wells theatre [7].

By the time of the 1891 census Eliza Place had been demolished and the Knight family moved the short distance to 1 Margaret Place, Clerkenwell, close to St James Church. The 1891 census [8] shows that there were four members of the Knight family living in two rooms of a terraced house, sharing with one other family. Abraham was employed as a fancy goods packer and his wife Mary was employed as a fancy bread worker, possibly working in the same factory.

On Thursday 25 October 1894 Abraham Knight, a bachelor aged 34, married his partner of ten years Mary Etherington a spinster aged 32 at St James's Pentonville Church, Clerkenwell [9]. At the time of their wedding they were both living 20 Cynthia Street, Clerkenwell and Abraham's occupation is given as an export packer. The witnesses were Walter Thomas Cushion and Mary Thurlby.

The 1901 census [10] for Finsbury shows six members of the Knight family living in three rooms at 22 Block Q, Peasbody Buildings, Roscoe Street. At this time Abraham was employed as a boot packer, his wife Mary was employed as a cardboard box maker and his daughter Florence as a milliner.

The 1911 census [11] shows the Knight family living at 12 Buckland Street, New North Road, Hoxton. Abraham, his wife Mary and their two sons, John Thomas aged 12 and Abraham aged 9 months occupied 2 rooms in a house close to Pitfield Street, Hoxton. Abraham was employed as boot packer at Haldistan Boot and Shoe Manufacturers, Goswell Road. The census indicates that they had five children, all of which survived. There is no mention of their second child Abraham, born in 1885 and who died as an infant.

Abraham Knight died on Tuesday 4 July 1914, aged fifty-four at 24 Nicholas Steet, Shoreditch from the effects of pneumonia and syncope (sudden loss of consciousness). [12]

Notes and Abbreviations:

  1.  GRO, Birth Certificate Abraham Knight, 1860
  2.  British History Online Survey of London: Volume 46, South and East Clerkenwell
  3.  National Archives, 1861 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG9/191 f47v
  4.  National Archives, 1871 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG10/379 f79v
  5.  National Archives, 1871 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG10/379 f80r
  6.  National Archives, 1881 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG11/379 f80r
  7.  GRO, Birth Certificate Florence Agnes Knight, 1883
  8.  National Archives, 1891 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG12/224 f125v
  9.  GRO, Marriage Certificate Abraham Knight and Florence Agnes Knight, 1894
  10.  National Archives, 1901 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG13/260 f99v
  11.  National Archives, 1911 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG14
  12.  GRO Death Certificate Abraham Knight, 1914
  13.  'Ab' stands for 'Abraham'

Notes and Abbreviations:

  1.  GRO, Birth Certificate Abraham Knight, 1860
  2.  British History Online Survey of London: Volume 46, South and East Clerkenwell
  3.  National Archives, 1861 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG9/191 f47v
  4.  National Archives, 1871 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG10/379 f79v
  5.  National Archives, 1871 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG10/379 f80r
  6.  National Archives, 1881 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG11/379 f80r
  7.  GRO, Birth Certificate Florence Agnes Knight, 1883
  8.  National Archives, 1891 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG12/224 f125v
  9.  GRO, Marriage Certificate Abraham Knight and Florence Agnes Knight, 1894
  10.  National Archives, 1901 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG13/260 f99v
  11.  National Archives, 1911 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG14
  12.  GRO Death Certificate Abraham Knight, 1914
  13.  'Abhm' stands for 'Abraham'

Notes and Abbreviations:

  1.  GRO, Birth Certificate Abraham Knight, 1860
  2.  British History Online Survey of London: Volume 46, South and East Clerkenwell
  3.  National Archives, 1861 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG9/191 f47v
  4.  National Archives, 1871 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG10/379 f79v
  5.  National Archives, 1871 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG10/379 f80r
  6.  National Archives, 1881 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG11/379 f80r
  7.  GRO, Birth Certificate Florence Agnes Knight, 1883
  8.  National Archives, 1891 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG12/224 f125v
  9.  GRO, Marriage Certificate Abraham Knight and Florence Agnes Knight, 1894
  10.  National Archives, 1901 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG13/260 f99v
  11.  National Archives, 1911 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG14
  12.  GRO Death Certificate Abraham Knight, 1914
  13.  'Abhm' stands for 'Abraham'

Notes:

  1.  GRO, Birth Certificate Abraham Knight, 1860
  2.  British History Online Survey of London: Volume 46, South and East Clerkenwell
  3.  National Archives, 1861 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG9/191 f47v
  4.  National Archives, 1871 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG10/379 f79v
  5.  National Archives, 1871 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG10/379 f80r
  6.  National Archives, 1881 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG11/379 f80r
  7.  GRO, Birth Certificate Florence Agnes Knight, 1883
  8.  National Archives, 1891 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG12/224 f125v
  9.  GRO, Marriage Certificate Abraham Knight and Florence Agnes Knight, 1894
  10.  National Archives, 1901 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG13/260 f99v
  11.  National Archives, 1911 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG14
  12.  GRO Death Certificate Abraham Knight, 1914

Notes:

  1.  GRO, Birth Certificate Abraham Knight, 1860
  2.  British History Online Survey of London: Volume 46, South and East Clerkenwell
  3.  National Archives, 1861 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG9/191 f47v
  4.  National Archives, 1871 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG10/379 f79v
  5.  National Archives, 1871 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG10/379 f80r
  6.  National Archives, 1881 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG11/379 f80r
  7.  GRO, Birth Certificate Florence Agnes Knight, 1883
  8.  National Archives, 1891 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG12/224 f125v
  9.  GRO, Marriage Certificate Abraham Knight and Florence Agnes Knight, 1894
  10.  National Archives, 1901 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG13/260 f99v
  11.  National Archives, 1911 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG14
  12.  GRO Death Certificate Abraham Knight, 1914

Notes:

  1.  GRO, Birth Certificate Abraham Knight, 1860
  2.  British History Online Survey of London: Volume 46, South and East Clerkenwell
  3.  National Archives, 1861 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG9/191 f47v
  4.  National Archives, 1871 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG10/379 f79v
  5.  National Archives, 1871 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG10/379 f80r
  6.  National Archives, 1881 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG11/379 f80r
  7.  GRO, Birth Certificate Florence Agnes Knight, 1883
  8.  National Archives, 1891 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG12/224 f125v
  9.  GRO, Marriage Certificate Abraham Knight and Florence Agnes Knight, 1894
  10.  National Archives, 1901 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG13/260 f99v
  11.  National Archives, 1911 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG14
  12.  GRO Death Certificate Abraham Knight, 1914

Notes:

  1.  GRO, Birth Certificate Abraham Knight, 1860
  2.  British History Online Survey of London: Volume 46, South and East Clerkenwell
  3.  National Archives, 1861 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG9/191 f47v
  4.  National Archives, 1871 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG10/379 f79v
  5.  National Archives, 1871 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG10/379 f80r
  6.  National Archives, 1881 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG11/379 f80r
  7.  GRO, Birth Certificate Florence Agnes Knight, 1883
  8.  National Archives, 1891 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG12/224 f125v
  9.  GRO, Marriage Certificate Abraham Knight and Florence Agnes Knight, 1894
  10.  National Archives, 1901 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG13/260 f99v
  11.  National Archives, 1911 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG14
  12.  GRO Death Certificate Abraham Knight, 1914
 

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