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Knowles

GlenBrighton

New Member
Hello,

I am trying to trace the family of my grandfather...John Edward Knowles (that is the name he put on his marriage certificate).

It is a sad tale of a split family and my father never really knew his father. He died in 1957 and I have a copy of his death certificate, it says that he was living at 3 Back 127 Barr Street. His brother George Edward Knowles was the informant and he lived in Turnley Road.

On my grandparents marriage certificate and his death certificate his age leads back to a birth in 1901 and that his father was John knowles, but none of the John Edward Knowles of that period were born to a John Knowles.

When he died in 1957 the electoral roll tells me that Annie Knowles was also living at the same address and I am guessing that may of been his mother.

Been looking a long time and rather stuck, there are a lot of Knowles out there. If anybody has any ideas I would really appreciate it.

Glen
 
Glen my sir name is Knowles but have no connection with the family you are looking for,best of luck with your research

Mossy:)
 
It may be a big coincidence,but in 1901 there are a family of Knowles living in Westley Street,which is just a stone's throw from Great Barr St.
However,the father's name was Frederick,wife Ellen and 6 children,the youngest of whom was called George and he was a month old in 1901.(you didn't say whether John's brother was older or younger)
It just may be a family to bear in mind.........or totally disregard!
Good luck and I'm sure there'll be more help in the morning!
 
Hi Glen I worked some years back with an 'Eddie Knowles' who was once a tasty amateur boxer (or so he told me). He lives over Leamington way now but hails from Brum originally. Balsall Heath way if my memory serves me well but I could easily be wrong on that score.

Age wise he would now be late 60's I guess.
 
hello, I also have knowles on my family tree but not these. anyway I digress.

I have found the birth of a John Edward Knowles in Aston quater ending September 1901. 6d page 313. I would contact the register office and ask them to check his fathers name prior to ordering a copy.

Good luck

Sue
 
Welcome Glen,
There appears to be only one John Edward Knowles who fits the age.
John Edward Knowles birth registered July/Aug/Sept quarter 1901(ref 6d 313) this means he could have been born anytime between approx May/Sept(given that parents were given 6 weeks to register) but too late for the 1901 census.
There is also a George Edward born March 1905 ref. 6d 153

It may help to view the 1911 census online.

You could send to Birmingham register office for the certificate of both of the above entries but stipulate that the father on the certificate is John,then you will not be charged if they are not the people you are looking for.
 
Does it give an occupation for John Snr on the marriage certificate?

Not sure this is the one you want but there is a marriage in Birmingham Sept Quarter 1899 for a John Knowles to an Annie Hadley, in 1901 they are living Heath Street it looks like, no children and John is in the Coal Trade, Claire
 
Well I am overwhelmed with all of the great responses. Thanks.

For those of you who tried to find John thanks!..... but I have already been down that route. I have a copy of the birth certificate of every John Edward Knowles born between 1899 and 1905!

His brother George appears to have been born in 1915 from his own marriage certificate and rather interestingly he states that he is a widower (the marriage was in 1948) but I can't find another wedding for him.

John Knowles senior was working for the Corporation Water department before his death (he is down as deceased on his son Georges marriage certificate).

Glen
 
So...go forward two years....

I was at a brick wall with my research. Nothing was helping, there was no John Edward Knowles that fit. So I started again and put down on a blank piece of paper what I did know and went from there. The key for me was the electoral registers, they gave me new names to research and eventually I realised that his real name was "John Daniel Knowles" despite what he put on the marriage certificate when he married my grandmother.

He was the son of John Knowles born in Netherton in 1880 and Annie Hadley also born in Netherton in 1880. They had five children that I know of, John Daniel Knowles (b. 1902) , George Edward Knowles (b.1905), Jospeh Knowles (b. 1911) , Leslie Alfred Knowles (b. 1916) and Megan E Knowles (b.1919).

I have a marriage certificate for both John and George, on John's (to my grandmother in 1953) he states that his condition of marriage is "previous marriage desolved". On George's it states that he is a widdower. I need to find these two previous marriages.

I did manage to find the marriage of Leslie Afred Knowles in 1940 to Marjorie J Timms. They went on to have 9 children between 1943 and 1956 and then both died in 1959 and 1960 when the oldest child was 16, what would have happened to these young children?

So many questions still!

Thanks
 
You could look further into the marriage of John D Knowles to Kathleen M Marsh in 1925,Dec qtr, Birmingham North.

There is a marriage in 1944 of a Kathleen M Knowles in Birmingham 1944 to William Donaldson
 
Hi

A George E Knowles married an Emma Dugmore in 1926 Bham North JAS 6d 1280
George Edward Knowles and Emma Knowles are living at 21 Camden Street in 1930 with Margaret Jane and William Joseph Dugmore.

Suzanne
 
Megan married Horace Gordon and in 1945 they were living at 53 Bradstock Road,Kings Norton
Marriages Jun 1940
Horace W Gordon married Megan E Knowles Birmingham 6d 1144
Following on fro Alberta's suggestion:
1930,1935 at 50 Dartmouth Street
John Daniel Knowles,Kathleen Margaret Knowles,
 
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