Edwin Thomas Knott was born on 3 December 1894 in Greenwich, London, the eldest of the twelve children of Edwin Thomas Knott (1873-1938) and Elizabeth Mary Knott née Barlow (1875-1941). His birth was registered as Edward Thomas Knott in the 1st quarter of 1895 in the Greenwich registration district, London.
By the time of the 1901 census he was shown as Edwin Knott living at 11 Coltman Street, Greenwich, with his parents and two brothers: Henry Charles Knott (1896-1963) and John Thomas Knott (1898-1968). His father was described as a labourer. A sister, Alice Elizabeth Knott, had been born and died in infancy in 1900.
When his father completed the 1911 census return form he was shown as a printer's boy. He was living in a two roomed apartment at 81 Church Street, Greenwich, with his parents and four siblings: George Albert Knott (1901-1965); Frederick Charles Knott (1903-1989); Arthur Ernest Knott (1905-1952) and Doris Elizabeth Knott (1907-1996). His father described himself as a bricklayer's labourer.
Four more siblings were born: Mary Ann Knott (1911-1997); Thomas William Knott (1913-1992); Lilian Lucy Knott (1915-1993) and Benjamin Alfred Knott (1919-2010).
On 14 April 1915 he enlisted as a Private in the Army Service Corps, service number T4/085600 and entered France on 28 April 1915. Suffering from sickness he was discharged on 31 January 1916 and was awarded the Silver War Badge, Serial No.223449, on 15 August 1917. He was subsequently awarded the 1914-1915 Star, the British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal.
On 8 April 1917 he married Lillian Mary Ann Crammond (1893-1992) at Christ Church, Deptford Church Street, London, SE8, where in the marriage register he is shown as a bachelor and a labourer living at 1 Griffin Street, Deptford, whilst his wife was described as a spinster residing at 15 Hosier Street, Deptford. They had four children: Edward Henry Knott (1918-2011); Lilian Rose Knott (b.1920); Violet G. Knott (b.1922) and Rose M. Knott (b.1925).
In the 1939 England and Wales Register he is shown as a ship repairer living at 16 Owen House, Bronze Street, Deptford, London, SE8, with his wife and their daughter, Lilian Rose Knott.
He died, aged 49 years, when visiting a friend at 64 Prince Street, Deptford on 21 July 1944. According to the Flying Bombs and Rockets website a flying bomb exploded in Prince Street and ten houses were damaged with a small fire in one of them. Thirty houses were severely damaged by blast and all surrounding properties suffered slight damage in area of Dacca Street, New King Street and Evelyn Street. One lorry sustained severe damage and two lorries received slight damage. A total of six people died in this flying bomb incident. Probate records confirm he died on 21 July 1944 and that his body was not recovered until the next day. He was buried on 29 July 1944 in Grove Park Cemetery, Marvels Lane, London, SE12 9PU. It was not until 14 June 1947 that probate was granted to his widow. His effects totalled £538-1s-0d.
He is shown as Knott E on the Royal Victoria Yard war memorial at The Colonnade, Grove Street, London, SE8, which gives the date of his death as 22 July 1944. He is also commemorated in the Civilian War Dead Roll of Honour 1939-1945 that is kept just outside the entrance to St George's Chapel at the west end of Westminster Abbey and confirms that he died on 21 July 1944. Both the Lewisham War Memorials website and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website state that his date of death was 22 July 1944.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
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