Arthur Albert KNIBBS, son of William KNIBBS and Eliza LOCK , was born 22 February 1873 in Sheldon, Birmingham, Warwickshire, England. He married Mary RICHARDSON 19 November 1894 in Sheldon, Birmingham, Warwickshire, England. He died 27 January 1953 in Sheldon, Birmingham, Warwickshire, England. Mary RICHARDSON was born 21 July 1868 in Stretton-on-Dunsmore, Warwickshire, England. She died 01 March 1949 in Sheldon, Birmingham, Warwickshire, England.


Children of Arthur Albert KNIBBS and Mary RICHARDSON are:
1. William KNIBBS, b. 22 August 1895 See William KNIBBS & Martha Jane PHILLIPS
2. Albert John KNIBBS, b. 24 January 1898 See Albert John KNIBBS & Elsie May WILSON

Marriage Notes for Arthur Albert KNIBBS\Mary RICHARDSON:

Mary and Arthur were married at St. Giles, Sheldon.

Arthur Albert KNIBBS, bachelor, 22, labourer, Sheldon, father William, labourer
Mary RICHARDSON, spinster, 26, Sheldon, father Abraham labourer
witnesses Septimus COMPTON, Lizzie POWELL.


Notes for Arthur Albert KNIBBS:

Also known as: Albert Arthur




We know in 1901, Arthur was employed as a stockman on a farm. The above picture shows him as a young man probaly in his late teens working at the farm (click to enlarge). The machine he's operating is a hand cranked potato grader. The man at the front would load the potatoes onto the conveyor, and Arthur at the rear would be responsible for cranking the handle and swapping the sacks once they were full.
Cranking the handle would convey the larger potatoes from the front to the sacks at the rear and at the same time, smaller potatoes and loose soil would drop through to a second conveyor. Loose soil would drop through, and small potatoes would go to a separate sack.
The photo is probably from the 1890's.

The picture below is another of Arthur working on the farm. He is the man sitting on the hay cart. Whilst it's not possible to recognise him from the photograph, I like it because it shows life working on the farm in those days. We think this second photo is from the 1920's



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Arthur is listed in the 1901 census aged 28, with his wife Mary and two sons Albert and William, living at Tile Cross in the parish of Sheldon, Warwickshire, England
Arthur Knibbs Head Mar28 Stockman on Farm War Sheldon
Mary Knibbs Wife Mar 32 War Stretton On Dunsmore
William Knibbs Son 5 War Sheldon
Albert Knibbs Son 3 War Sheldon
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Arthur can be seenin1911 living at Marston Green, Nr. Birmingham, Warwickshire:
Arthur Albert Knibbs Head 38 Married Cowman on Farm Sheldon, Warwickshire
Mary Knibbs Wife 42 Married (16 years) Stretton on Dunsmore Warwickshire
William Knibbs Son 15 Single Boot Repairer Sheldon Warwickshire
Albert John Knibbs Son 13 School Sheldon Warwickshire

Mary had two children before 1911.
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We see Artthur and Mary living at 2 Elmston Road, Meriden, Warwickshire, at the time of the 1939 Register, just a few doors away from their son William.
Arthur A Knibbs 24 Feb 1873 Farm Labourer-Retired Married
Mary Knibbs 21 Jul 1868 Unpaid Domestic Duties Married
Samuel Glover 15 Dec 1869 Male Married
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Arthur Albert Knibbs relaxing in his garden in the 1940's. (click to enlarge). Note the beekeeper's Smokebox in the foreground of the picture. Arthur's son William was a keen beekeeper from the age of 18 years.
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Knibbs Arthur Albert of 2 Elmdon-road Marston Green Birmingham Warwickshire died 27 January 1953 Probate Birmingham 9 April to William Knibbs postman. Effects £1788 8s. 8d.
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Our gratitude goes to the members and volunteers at Find A Grave web site for recording the details, in memory of Arthur.

Sources for Arthur Albert KNIBBS:

  1. Personal Contact with Hilda Knibbs,
  2. GRO England & Wales, GRO England & Wales gives 1Qtr1873 
  3. LDS IGI Records,
  4. 1881 British Census,
  5. Ancestry.com, England & Wales, Death Index: 1837-1983 
  6. Ancestry.com. - England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966,
  7. 1901 British Census,
  8. 1911 British Census,
  9. 1939 Register,

Notes for Mary RICHARDSON:

Also known as: Polly




Mary, taken in 1934 aged 66 years, with her granddaughter Hilda Knibbs and husband Arthur (click to enlarge).
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We first see Mary in 1871, living at Stretton-On-Dunsmore Warwickshire:
Abraham Ricjardson Head Mar 29 Baker Stretton On Dunsmore Warwickshire
Abraham Richardson Father Mar 77 Staverton Northamptonshire
Jane Richardson Wife 25 Ryton On Dunsmore Warwickshire
Abraham Richardson 14 Stretton On Dunsmore Warwickshire
Mary Richardson Daur 2 Stretton On Dunsmore Warwickshire
William Richardson Son 0 Stretton On Dunsmore Warwickshire
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Mary can be seen aged 12, living with her parents at Liness Yard, Stretton On Dunsmore, Warwick in the 1881 census:
Abraham Richardson Head Mar 39 Baker Out of Employ Stretton On Dunsmore Warwick
Jane Richardson Wife Mar 33 Ryton On Dunsmore Warwick
Abraham Richardson Son 14 Silk Throwster Stretton On Dunsmore Warwick
Mary Richardson Daue 12 Scholar Stretton On Dunsmore Warwick
William Richardson Son 11 Scholar Stretton On Dunsmore Warwick
Hannah Richardson Daur 8 Scholar Stretton On Dunsmore Warwick
Elizabeth Richardson Daur 3 Stretton On Dunsmore Warwick
Samuel Richardson Son 3 Stretton On Dunsmore Warwick
Emma Richardson 7 m Stretton On Dunsmore Warwick
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In 1891, we see Mary living at Sheldon Hall, Tile Cross, Sheldon, Warwickshire:
Francis J Wood Head Mar 28 Water Orton Warwickshire
Leila Ada Wood Wife Mar 28 Cileshill Warwickshire
Frances L Wood Daur 4 Sheldon Warwickshire
Olive Wpood Daur 2 Sheldon Warwickshire
Francis Wood Son 1 Sheldon Warwickshire
Mary Richardson Servant UnM 23 Domestic Servant Stretton-on-Dunsmore Warwickshire
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Mary's granddaughter Hilda Rosemary Knibbs tells me that Mary's mother (and Hilda's great-grandmother) was Jane Parker. Hilda has a very faded sampler embroidered by her aged 8 in 1853 when she was a pupil at St Mary`s School Princethorp, Warwickshire, England. She married a man named Abraham Richardson from Ryton-on-Dunsmore. Hilda thinks the Parker family may have lived at Ryton-on-Dunsmore at some time and that Jane & Abraham both died young but she doesn't know when or why.

I discovered later that Jane Parker was living in Stretton on Dunsmore in 1881 with her husband Abraham Richardson. They were also there at the 1871 census and also had Abraham's father Abraham living with them. The 1851 census showed the Parkers and the Richardsons living in Stretton on Dunsmore.
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Mary's brother Samuel emigrated to Canada in around 1890. He would have been just 12. From what I've seen, his parents both died in England after the time Samuel emigrated, so I'm not sure of the circumstances surrounding Samuels emigration.
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Jane died age 38 in the Jul/Sep 1884 Quarter and Abraham age 45 in the Oct/Dec Quarter 1886, so Hilda was right, they did die at very young ages.
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Knibbs Mary of 2 Elmdon-road Marston Green Warwickshire (wife of Arthur Albert Knibbs) died 1 March 1949 Administartion Birmingham 18 July to the said Arthur Albert Knibbs retired farm worker. Effects £176 4s. 6d.
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Our gratitude goes to the members and volunteers at Find A Grave web site for recording the details, in memory of Mary.

Sources for Mary RICHARDSON:

  1. Personal Contact with Hilda Knibbs,
  2. Warwickshire Parish Register - St. Giles, Sheldon,
  3. 1901 British Census,
  4. GRO England & Wales,
  5. Ancestry.com. - England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966,