John Robert Knowles (1830 - 1898)

Born 14 Jun 1830 in Woolwich, Kent, England, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Husband of Adelaide (Morris) Knowles — married 30 Sep 1851 in Bermondsey, Surrey, England, United Kingdom

Descendants

Died 13 Feb 1898 at age 67 in Carlton North, Victoria, Australia

Biography

John was the son of John Knowles and Harriet Berry. He was born in Woolwich, Kent, England, on June 14, 1830 and christened on July 4, 1830 at Saint Mary Magdalene, Woolwich, Kent, England. (He was known as John in the 1841 Census, although he was identified as Robert in the 1851 Census. It is now confirmed that his full name was John Robert Knowles.)

Following his marriage to Adelaide Morris in 1851, he migrated to Australia, arriving in Melbourne in April, 1853, aboard the ship "Kent" with Adelaide and their daughter, Harriet Jane. John was a passenger.^[1]

John Knowles appears on the "Muster List" of the Naval Brigade - Williamstown from 1863 to 1870. The Naval Brigade, (a part-time reserve), was attached to the Victorian Navy (which existed from 1853 until 1901.) ^[2]

John was employed by the Melbourne drapers, George and George's Federal Emporium in Collins Street, (later known simply as George's), an iconic Melbourne store that traded in Collins Street from 1879 until 1995.

John passed away in 1898^[3][4] and is buried in the Melbourne General Cemetery, [Compartment II, Grave No.500 (shared with his grandson, Ethelbert Alfred Head, aged 11 months)]. ^[5]

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Sources

1. ↑ Passenger List: "Victoria, Australia, Assisted and Unassisted Passenger Lists, 1839-1923"
   Public Record Office Victoria; North Melbourne, Victoria; Inward Overseas Passenger Lists (British Ports) [Microfiche Copy of VPRS 947]; Series: VPRS 7666
   Ancestry Sharing Link Ancestry Record 1635 #4264593 (accessed 2 October 2021)
   Name: John Robert Knowles; Gender: Male; Nationality: English; Arrival Age: 23; Birth Date: abt 1830; Departure Place: Gravesend; Arrival Date: 1853.
2. ↑ Victorian Naval Brigade 1860 - 1871
3. ↑ Department of Justice, Victoria, Australia - BDM Online
   [ https://www.bdm.vic.gov.au/research-and-family-history/search-your-family-history ]
   Death: registered 1898/1359
4. ↑ "Family Notices." The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954) 14 Feb 1898: 1. Web. 11 Nov 2015 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article191485649>
5. ↑ Entered by Peter Knowles, Oct 2, 2011 and updated Jan 7, 2012 from information provided by Karen Ogden

• Peter Knowles. Click the Changes tab for the details of edits by Peter and others.

• "Victorian Naval Brigade 1860 - 1871" courtesy of Tom Corfmat, Victorian Colonial Infantry Association Inc.