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Record #2757
Name :
: Alfred Walter KNOWLTON (1863 - 1929)


Father
:
Mother
:
BMD and other details
Date of Birth
: 29 Sep 1863

Marriage (1)
:
Marriage (2)
:

Date of Death
: 14 Sep 1929   Notes : Cancer of the Bladder
Abode (1) : Place of BirthEngland, Middlesex, St Pancras, London
Abode (2) : Place of Death / BurialCanada, Ontario, York, Toronto
Sailing Information
Date of Arrival
: Jul 1886
Country
: Canada

Ship
: Lake Superior

Placement Family
:
Homes / Agencys
Institution (GB)
:

Agency
: Barnardos
NotesAlfred came as a Barnardo "Boy" in 1886. His name was Alfred Walter Knowlton-born 1863 in St Pancras. His father James Knowlton(1840c) married Letitia Stringer(1840c). They married in 1858 at St. Thomas, Stepney. They had 5 children that I know of so far(2 daughters died as babies(Under age 2). James, Alfred's father, died in Bath, Avon, Somerset. He drowned in 1870. Alfred said he looked after an Inn. Alfred's mother remarried in 1874 to John Longworth(also in St Pancras). Letitia died in 1878.

Barnardo's records say Alfred lived with his Uncle and Aunt until his Uncle took sick. Alfred told his children that his Uncles name was John. Alfred's grandfather was also named John Knowlton. As for Alfred's brother's James William(1859) I'm not sure-I'm still looking, the other brother John Joseph(1861),same thing I'm still looking. I have a couple of promising leads but nothing confirmed.
The naming pattern does not make the search very easy as every generation has two or three of each.

Alfred was older when he came to Canada(about 25 but the records says 20yrs), Alfred had to lie(at the prompting of Barnardos staff) about his age to appear younger in order to qualify to come under Barnardo's and his first couple years of work had to be used to pay his passage here through the Barnardo agency. This is what the older boys and girls did apparently. Anyway the record says the man he worked for the first year did not pay Alfred but Alfred did manage to get his debt paid off in time.

On November 15, 1893, at Dufferin, Ontario, Canada, a marriage was registered between Alfred Walter Knowlton, 25, farm labourer, born in England to James W and Letitia Knowlton; and Ellen Flear, 23, born in Canada, to George and Sarah Flear.

Alfred Walter and Ellen Flear Knowlton raised a family in Hornings Mills, Ontario.

Alfred Walter did many jobs in Canada, but eventually settled with his wife and owned two stores(at different times) in Hornings Mills. By all accounts, Alfred was a good, honest man. One old timer said that "Alfred was a very fine man". That is about the highest esteem one man could hold another in those days.

Alfred had an eye injury that caused him to go blind-sawdust in one eye became infected and eventually infected his other eye also. He was in the hospital in Toronto for quite a long time for this injury.

Anyway-that's the story in a nutshell.

I believe that Alfred's Great grandparents were Joseph and Hannah Knowlton(1780c). I cannot find a Joseph and Hannah Knowlton, this is where I am stuck.

The reason I know that the James who died in Bath is because Alfred told his children that his father had drowned in Bath, apparently he was an "Innkeepers assistant", although I believe the 1861 census says he is a "publicans assistant".

Alfred also told his daughter about his sister's death.

I have Alfreds records from Barnardos and he wasn't in Barnardo's until 1886. The same year he came to Canada. Alfred met up with some of Barnardo's staff and they invited him to attend a dinner at their headquarters. Alfred had been "jobbing around the streets-opening cab doors, carrying parcels, etc. The record said that he was offered the passage to Canada and he took it. Barnardo's would send the older boys in this manner as farm hands etc. and the boys would repay the fare in a specific period of time.

There were two baby Letitia's. The first died and the next girl was named Letitia after the death of the first. 
ContributorsCreated : 2009-01-11 19:21:12 / From original database

Last Updated : 2009-02-19 13:07:34 /

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IDNameDOBPlace of birthArrivals & ShipsDest.AgencyFamily links
2757 KNOWLTON, Alfred Walter1863ENG, MDX, St Pancras, London Jul 1886 : Lake Superior CAN Barnardos