| Description | Work completed by volunteer includes the following information:
Alfred Herbert Knowles was born 1888, one of thirteen children of Charles Knowles, who was a foreman with the Corporation, and his wife Maria, living in Beckside, Beverley. In 1910 when Alfred married Elizabeth Thomson in St Nicholas Church, Beverley, his occupation was as a market gardener. Alfred and Elizabeth had three children, George, Albert and Vera.
Alfred, from information published in the Beverley Guardian, served in the Royal Garrison Artillery, the Beverley Guardian 13 Oct 1917 published his photograph and he was reported to be “hospitalised”, but no details were given. On 12 Jan 1918 the Guardian stated that he had been “missing since November 30th, now reported Prisoner of War.”
Alfred was taken prisoner at Cambrai on 30 Nov 1917, and was transferred to the Dulmen Prisoner of War camp in Germany. He returned home in Dec 1918.
Alfred and Elizabeth divorced, and he married emily Lavinia Wiffen at Hutton Cranswick in Aug 1924. His status was described as “The divorced husband of Elizabeth Knowles, formerly Elizabeth Thomson”. In Apr 1923 his two sons, George (aged 12) and Albert (aged 11), sponsored by Dr Barnardo’s Homes, emigrated to Canada “… to do farm work”. This was as part of the Government’s Child Migration Scheme that was supposed to offer children opportunities they would not have had if they remained in the UK. Their sister, Vera, remained living with their father until she married in 1939. George and Albert both visited their father in 1930/31 but spent the rest of their lives in Canada until they died in 1985 and 1991 respectively.
The 1939 Register shows Alfred as a packer in a factory, and also serving as an ARP warden, living with Emily and her brother, Harry. Alfred died in 1954.
Includes photograph, information taken from census, military records, Commonwealth War Graves, newspapers |