Robert William Knight (1845 - 1939)

Born 1 Jan 1845 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Descendants

Died 2 May 1939 at age 94 in Tweed Heads, New South Wales, Australia

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Nereda Pinker [send private message]

Biography

Robert was born in 1845. He was the son of William Knight and Candace Webster. He passed away in 1939.

OBITUARY

MR. R. W. KNIGHT

Mr. Robert William Knight died yesterday at the residence of Nurse Bussell, Coolangatta, aged 96. He was the head of a large family which, prior to his death, embraced five generations. His living descendants include two sons and five daughters, 5 grand-children, a number of great grand-children and several great great grand-children. Mr Knight lived in Tweed Heads and Coolangatta for the past 20 years, but spent the greater part of his active life on the Richmond River (N.S.W.). He was born at Balmain (Sydney), but as a young man, accompanied by a young bride, formerly Miss Rebecca Pegg, of Sydney, he was one of those who pioneered the Richmond district prior to 1870. He spent over half a century there, engaged in the timber trade. His first employment on the Richmond was in the sawmill of John Breckenridge, at Wyrallah, then the largest mill on the Northern Rivers, in 1862 Later he worked for the late Mr. J. E. Glasgow in a sawmill at North Lismore, and subsequently established his own sawmill at Lismore which afterwards passed to Mr. C. Dorrough and became known as the Canadian sawmill. Mr. Knight amassed considerable property at Lismore. Mrs. Knight died many years ago. The surviving sons are Messrs. Harold Knight (Jiggi) and Herbert Knight (Lismore) and the daughters are Mesdames H. Samin (Coolangatta), J. Grise (Lismore), A. Hunter (Lismore), H. Hoskins (Rozelle) and G. Moss (Marrickville) . The burial took place yesterday afternoon at the Tweed Heads cemetery. The Reverend C. H. Higgs, Methodist minister at Tweed Heads, officiated, and Messrs. J. and R, Knight, H. and N. Samin, H. McCann and J. McCallum were the pallbearers

Volume 2 "The Aldine Centennial History of NSW": Lismore. Robert Knight, Saw Mill Proprietor, was born at Bradley's Head, Sydney, in 1845,and when twelve years of age was apprenticed to a millwright Mr John Booth, of Balmain. He remained with that gentleman eight years, and at the end of that time became foreman for Mr James Breckenrridge, of Wyrallah, Richmond River. He entered his employ in 1865, and five years later engaged with Thomas Carter, saw mill proprietor at Wardell, with whom he remained twelve months. He then entered the employment of Mr J E James, for whom he erected a saw mill. At the end of eighteen months he settled in Lismore, and in 1873 erected a mill for J E Glasgow. On its completion he became the foreman, and held that position for seven years. He then purchased a small engine of nine horse power, and erected a saw mill in South Lismore on his own account. Business increased to such an extent that he was compelled to sell his mill, and to purchase a larger one from J Durrough, for the sum of 1500 pounds. This is situated on the bank of the river in South Lismore, and is of twenty horse power, with eight horse power engine. The works contain one Waterhouse saw bench, with a five feet sin inches in diameter; lath bench, planing machine, and turning lathe. In connection with the mill are required one team of horses, one team of bullocks and delivery punts. Mr knight is prepared to supply cedar, pine, white beech, she-beech, cudgeryboy-jack and teak, iron bark, box and red and blue gum. Mr knight was married in 1862, and has eight children living.

Sources

• Family tree
• Obituary: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/192289640