2018 was a wonderful year for connecting with cousins in the Czech Republic, Ireland, Spain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Scotland, France, England, Mexico, and America.
Our trip to England and Spain brought together distant cousins and close relatives. We shared friendships, laughs and family history. Thanks to all my kind cousins for sharing personal stories and family photos.
Highlights of our trip…
A Visit to the Coast of England
Sharing stories and laughs with Houghton/Knight relatives in England. After sharing information online, it was fun to finally meet cousins at The Walrus pub in Brighton. We had fun chatting with Alison, Dorian, Nic and Tandy, while eating some delicious English pub food. Oh, the little ones were lovely and entertaining to watch.
Brighton, a popular coastal vacation spot, was the retirement home of William Knight, soap maker, who lived to be 92 years old. Walking near the beautiful rocky beach, we found the stately 3-story Victorian building of the Knight family.
William Knight, my 3rd great grandfather lived here, on King’s Road by the beach, in the 1870s until 1910. He probably took daily walks by the lovely rocky beach. This is a popular tourist attraction.
Nearby, was the famous Brighton Palace Pier and the lavish Royal Pavilion – a seaside retreat for George, Prince of Wales. An inside tour of the pavilion is a must see, as it has a rich history and a variety of spaces. I also recommend taking a self-guided tour of the free Brighton Fishing Museum, at the beach.
A visit to the countryside… Redlynch and Downton
A visit to Tower House – former home of Manning and Knight relatives. Linda and I were invited to stay in this lovely Victorian home of the Shaw family. We heard the lovely chime of the clock, on-the-hour, and got to see the clock mechanism at work. It was fun to learn about the history of the area and people who lived in the nearby village of Downton. The English breakfast and diner where amazing.
A Visit to Downton
Malcolm Birch took us on a tour of the old graveyard of the Baptist Church in Downton. We found the graves of Hope, Manning and Taunton relatives, including Clara Manning who lived for decades at Tower House. Clara was the beloved aunt of John Dare Knight, my great-grandfather. The Knights of Mexico visited Clara and relatives back in 1935.
Historic Tour
Touring the estate of the Taunton family in Redlynch. Local historians Carolyn and Malcolm Birch gave the background story of the family who ran a 1,000 acre farm. They generously shared vintage family photos and stories found in the historical archives.
Katherine Livingstone Manning (3rd great-aunt) married Henry Percy Taunton who operated a large farm in Redlynch. Historically, this is known as Templeman’s Farm. The 1870s farmhouse was build for William Taunton. The current owner kindly gave us a full tour of the estate. The Grade II listed home is under restoration, with modern upgrades.
A Visit to London
Visiting the National Portrait Gallery Archives with cousins Laura, Miranda, and Patricia Simmons. We share a family connection to soap maker William Knight (1818-1910) who lived in London and Brighton. The archives include a series of photos of our relative Constance Jane Knight, known as Lady Boyle (see below).
I think this photo of the Boyle family was prior to a visit with the King and Queen in 1925. These pictures are available online at the National Portrait Gallery.
A Visit to Spain
Touring Valencia and sharing stories with Uncle Johnny and family in Spain.
Johnny is 88, still sharp and working at his auto engineering company.
Naturally, we walked all around the walled city and took in the history.
“Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the Torres de Quart are the still-visible bombing marks from the Siege of Valencia by Napoleonic forces in 1808.” Read more about the towers
Johnny brought out albums to share old family photos – many that I had never see before. Here’s a photo of my Grandma Peggy holding my dad Bobby, along with Uncle Johnny and Aunt Nancy in Mexico.
Johnny Knight, in Valencia, shared this lovely photo of my Aunt Peggy, Grandma Peggy, and Aunt Nancy. (circa 1960)
I love this colorized photo of John Dare Knight with his wife Modesta Montiel – celebrating Mother’s Day.
Now, I am looking forward to a new year of adventure and storytelling.
Cheers, Tim
Knight Family of Seattle 