Edward Henry Knowles (1874-1949)

Edward Henry Knowles was born on 26 Februay 1874 in Partney, Lincolnshire. He was the eldest of Edward and Martha Knowles' four children, and the only boy.

Unlike his father and grandfather, Edward Henry did not go into farming. His occupation is described as 'grocer' on his marriage certificate, dated 21 February 1901, when he wed Lucy Ann Carrott.

However, his position is perhaps more accurately described on the census that took place just a few weeks later, where his role is marked as 'grocer's assistant'. A decade later, in 1911, the next census describes him as a 'shop assistant' in the grocery business.

Edward Henry remained in the retail trade for most of his life. A newspaper article from 1958 (nine years after his death) states that he ran a grocery business in Lower Market Place, Spilsby. The same article also refers to him as a 'well-known Methodist local preacher'.

The marriage to Lucy Ann produced three children: Vincent Edward (b.1903), Evelyn (b.1906) and Leonard Cornelius (b.1910).

Edward Henry also lived to see the arrival and early years of his only two grandchildren, Angela (b.1935) and Vincent Arthur (b.1939), the children of Vincent Edward and his wife, Florence Mary Bogg.

Edward Henry lived his entire life in Lincolnshire. The records place him at West Keal in 1881 and 1891 and then a mile further south, in Stickford, in 1901 and 1911.

He died in 1949 and is buried at Hundleby parish church, five miles south of West Keal and just over two miles from his birthplace, Partney.

The grave is marked with simple small stone bearing the words: In memoriam Edward Henry Knowles 1874-1949 till the day dawn and his wife Lucy Ann 1878-1952.

Unfortunately, the lighting on the stone when the photo was taken makes it hard to read the text.