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The Knight Family Humphrey's Black Box |
 Humphrey's Black Box |
| In January 2007 my uncle, Daryl Marsh transcibed a series of letters that had been sent from England to his great great grandfather, Humphrey Senhouse Knight in Australia. The letters had previously been in the possession of Dorothy Alice Hart and before that had been in the possession of her mother, Florence Knight. |
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Humphrey's Black Box was
in the possession of Francis Henry Hart when first seen by Daryl as a child . At that time it
contained inter alia heavy parchment type paper documents bound with pink
ribbon. These documents related to legal proceedings in England, and were read
by Daryl as a teenager. These documents have been lost; however the Black Box
contains documents apparently related to the proceedings. Arthur? P.? Slade? Notary Public Melbourne Daryl Robert Francis Marsh 1 January 2007 |
| UK National Archives |
UK National Archives
hold documents which may be relevant to Humphrey's Black Box. It
is possible that the following archived items hold the other side to
this correspondence, that is the letters from Humphrey to John.
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| Related Pages |
| Humphrey Senhouse Knight John Knight (Humphrey's brother) John Knight's Archive Box The "Male Tail" The Humphrey Knight Line |
| Photographs |
 John Knight 1803-1872 |
 Henley Hall |
| The Transcriptions |
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| Letter #3 Envelope address: H.S.Knight Esq Second right of way Dec 17th 1859 Dear Humphrey, I enclose ????? Bill of Exchange for ₤50, (Fifty pounds ). I do not see why ??? ??? be always writing letters; you give a deplorable account of what is considered to be a most prosperous colony. Surely you might find some more elevated occupation than that of sweeping streets; I should think there would be a great demand for teachers of all degrees in such a place. Hoping you will soon get this bill, Believe me Your affecte.(ionate?) brother John Knight |
Humphrey had arrived in Melbourne, Australia in May, 1853. Shortly afterwards, in August, his father Thomas died in Papcastle, Cumberland. Whatever financial support Humphrey had been promised by his father now became the responsibility of his eldest surviving brother, John, widowed, aged 50. |
| Letter #4 NO ENVELOPE Jan12th,1861 Dear Humphrey, You will receive with this a letter of credit for ₤70..0..0, I am sorry I have not been able to send it sooner; I have been waiting first of all to receive a small sum of money for you, but have not yet succeeded; so I have been obliged to send it out of my own money. To explain this, I am sorry to inform you that our poor sister Marion died last Oct.; of the money I allowed her she left ₤160, or thereabouts. ₤60 went to pay her debts;and there remained a sum of ₤10, which the family think proper to divide amongst themselves; amounting for each to ₤20; your share I have the goodness to say if you have any relation, or acquaintance connected with the shipping to If I cannot get anyone to bring ?? ₤20 Before June; there will then be a remittance at that time of another ₤70 for you. As my son now is not at Liverpool I was not able to get a letter of Hoping that now you will get on better, and meet with a better position,. Believe me dear Humphrey Your affecte.(ionate?) brother John Knight |
John informs Humphrey of the death of their sister, Marion in October 1860. Mr Mansfield probably should be "Mrs Mansfield" who is Humphrey and John's sister Henrietta. Probably a formidable woman who managed a lot of the family's affairs. Referred to respectfully as Mrs Mansfield even though she was John and Humphrey's sister. John refers to his son having previosly been in Liverpool. John, James or Charles? Marion left £100, of which £20 was Humphrey's share. Marion had five surviving siblings; Henrietta, John, Edward, Humphrey and Maria. Suggests that Marion left neither husband nor children |
| Letter #5 NO ENVELOPE Henley Hall,
Dear
Humphrey,
Feb 15, 1861 I now enclose the second letter but trust you have already received the first. I meant to say, Letter of Credit. I have suffered a great bereavement since I wrote to you last, in the death of my beloved daughter in Childbed. Hoping you and your family are well, I am dear Humphrey your affecte.(ionate?) brother John Knight |
John's daughter, Henrietta Kent (Knight), wife of Rev. Charles Kent, Vicar of Ludford, died in February 1861 at Ludlow, Shropshire. She died giving birth to their third child, John Henry Kent. Henrietta's husband, Charles remarried one year after her death when aged 55 to Blanche Easton, aged 19. Charles had a further seven children with Blanche. John Knight had three sons and one daughter (Henrietta). Henrietta's three children were John's only grandchildren. |
| Letter
#6 Envelope address: For Mr Humph: S. Knight 411/2 Hoddle Street ( Post office franking Ludlow JY 11 61 Melbourne SE 18 61 Henley Hall, July 10, 1861 Dear Humphrey, I now send you ₤73; fifty of which are the half yearly allowance; ₤20 my share of Marions money; ₤3 belonging to the two shares, each share being ₤21..10’ but as I sent your share before receiving the money, I did not know the exact amount. I am glad to hear your children are recovering. Is the Comet seen where you are? Mrs Mansfield has sent away the clothing,and has paid the land carriage as far as Lverpool; you will have to pay the sea carriage; always in a hurry, I remain your affecte.(ionate?) brother J.Knight |
John sends Humphrey and extra £20 being John's share of Marion's estate. Humphrey could indeed see "the comet" which was visible in the southern hemisphere first before John would have seen it from England.  Humphrey's daughter, Janet had died in 1860, aged 1. Mrs Mansfield has sent her brother, Humphrey a parcel of clothes. Possibly Marion's |
| Letter
#7 ENVELOPE ONLY Envelope address: For Mr H. S. Knight ( Post office franking: Ludlow SE 26 61 Melbourne DC 14 61 |
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| Letter
#10 Envelope address: For Mr H. S. Knight ( Post office franking: Ludlow JU 16 62 Melbourne SE 8 62 Henley Hall, July 16, 1862 Dear Humphrey, I have just time to send you this letter of credit for ₤ 50. I am always very busy, and have been for the last ??? 10 years. I suppose the box will have arrived by this time. We have a bad summer here; wet, and cold, and cloudy; I imagine you have your winter at this time. I have nothing particular to say, so believe me your affecte.(ionate?) brother John Knight |
John hopes the box of clothing has arrived! |
| Letter
#11
Envelope address: Mr H. S. Knight Post office franking: Ludlow JU 15 63 Henley Hall, July 10, 1863 Dear Humphrey, I enclose your letter of credit for ₤ 50, together with Duplicate of the one preceding. You seem to complain of my not having written. The truth is I have little time for it; I neglect even the greater part of my business letters; I am always obliged to be very busy; at the same time I should have little to say even were I at leisure to write; we have a very hot ????,and this also indisposes me a good deal. Believe me your affecte.(ionate?) brother John Knight |
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| Letter # 12 NO ENVELOPE Henley Hall, Dec 14th, 1862 Dear Humphrey, I send you the usual letter of credit for ₤ 50, I cannot give more at present, I have too much to pay for the last six months. I have expended in donations to the family ₤ 700; with exceptions to a small amount. I thankyou for the seed , but you might have told me the name of the tree to which it belongs; as well as the class it represents; there is a word in your letter indistinctly written, which looks like Wattle, but wattle can apply to any tree that is tough and lithe, and fit for hurdles, We must have a name. You say I will find it useful, but you do not explain how. Altogether you are a defective exposition of this sort of particulars.. How many seed were there, according to your estimate, in the little bag you sent, half full; I particularly want to know this; If you could continue to send me the same quantity,as for as you remember, in just such a bag, you will oblige me much. The gardener says he counted them, and found them a certain number, which I strongle suspect to be wanting. Maria has been very ill for three months, it is her second attack of insanity, within the space of six years. She was not expected to live; the Dr. gave her up, but I was of quite a different opinion, and told him and others so; since then she has been improving; and the last report is that the Dr. says she could not be doing better. Believe me your affecte.(ionate?) brother J. Knight |
John gives Humphrey a lesson in botany and tells him of their sister Maria's attack of insanity. Meanwhile John asks Humphrey to tell him exactly how many seeds Humphrey has sent him. John is very angry and suspects that his gardener is stealing his wattle seeds. Maria eventually did die in 1870 of insanity |
| Letter
#13 Envelope address: For Mr Humphrey. S. Knight Post office franking: Ludlow JA 13 64 Henley Hall, Jan 9th, 1864 Dear Humphrey, I enclose you the usual Letter of Credit for ₤ 50 together with the duplicate of the last. I hope you, and your family are well; I am very busy, and have little time for writing. I cannot even get through my usual business letters. I have been working here for eleven years, and the work is not yet half completed; it will take another ten years. Wishing you a happy new year, believe me your affectionate brother John Knight |
John has been working at Henley Hall for 11 years,. He had therefore arrived about Jan 1853. John's father, Thomas Knight had died in 1853 which suggests that John inherited Henley Hall from his father. Thomas, however lived and died at Papcastle, Cumberland |
| Letter
#14 Envelope address: For Mr Humphrey. S. Knight Ludlow JU 20 64 Henley Hall, June 20th, 1864 Dear Humphrey, I send you enclosed a Letter of Credit for ₤ 50. I have nothing to say except that I am always very busy;and have hardly time to write my business letters; so many of them lying unanswered; so that you cannot expect long letters from me. You will be in winter now in your part; June in winter and December in summer; c’est le monde revverse' Believe me your affectionate brother John Knight |
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| Letter
#15
Envelope address: For Mr H. S. Knight Post office franking: Ludlow JA 6 65
Henley Hall, Jan 5th, 1865 Dear Humphrey, I enclose you a Letter of Credit for ₤ 50; I have little time for writing, and not much relish for it; besides this is my busiest season, bills to pay and letters to write. The work of labor goes on; and will take another ten years to complete it; no man ever stepped into so onerous an estate. I wish yoy a happy new year; Christmas I suppose is in your summer; so that you will miss the snow, and robbin-red breast. It is now very mild here; almost like spring. Hoping your family are well believe me your affecte.(ionate?) brotherJ. Knight |
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| Letter # 16 Envelope address: For Mr H. S. Knight Post office franking: London 7 JY 65 July 5th, 1865 Dear Humphrey, I am so very busy that I have no time to write. We are now getting in hay; considerably building is going on; farm outhouses; and besides that there are eight masons working here at the Hall, and have been for some months;so that I have my hands full. Believe me dear Humphrey your affecte.(ionate?) brother J. Knight |
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| Letter # 17 NO ENVELOPE Henley Hall, Jan 1st, 1866 Dear Humphrey, I again enclose a Letter of Credit for ₤ 50; I had not observed the 10/1 until you mentioned it; it is an act of generosity on the part of the London Bankers;and I suspect it has some relation to conditions of Change between the currency of the two countries; I see they have again added the ten shillings, which is all to your advantage. I am still engaged int eh external work of re-edifying ruins; this never ends. At all events I have set my mark upon the Estate; I am dear Humphrey your affecte.(ionate?) brother J. Knight |
John is very proud of his work at Henley Hall. Unfortunateley his son would sell Henley Hall shortly after John's death in 1872 and squander the proceeds. |
| Letter # 18 Envelope address: For Mr Humphrey. S. Knight Post office franking: London 6 JY 66 Henley Hall July 3rd, 1866 Dear Humphrey, I have just time to send you a Letter of Credit for one hundred pds. I have increased the ₤ 30 you asked for to ₤ 50. You must send no more newspapers, I never read them, they do not interest me. Believe me your affecte.(ionate?) brother John Knight |
John is not interested in the Melbourne newspapers Humphrey has sent him and instructs him not to send any more. |
| Letter # 19 Envelope address: For Mr H. S. Knight Collingwood Nr. Melbourne Ludlow JA 9 67 Henley Hall Jan 8th .1867 Dear Humphrey, I send you the Letter of Credit for ₤ 50;they have ceased adding the 10/0; why I know not. I have nothing in the word to write about, I am not well; and have little time for it. You are in a strange land, and yet you never have a word to say with respect to the natives; or its peculiar vegetation; you never speak of the gum trees, some are found as high as 400 and 480 ft! the “Eucalyptus Colossea” the “Eucalyptus Amgandalina”? etc.etc. I have one, the “Ficus elastica” I suffer from a terrible pain in the right shoulder, from Rheumatism, which prevents me writing;still I have too much of that to do, and am greatly in arrear. The ?????? ???? has been over to I am dear Humphrey your affecte.(ionate?) brother J. Knight |
Another lesson in botany. Unfortunately "ficus elastica" is neither a eucalypt nor an Australian native.  |
| Letter # 20 Envelope address: For Mr Humphrey. Senh. Knight Post office franking: London 8 JY 69 Henley Hall July 31, 1869 Dear Humphrey, I send you the usual Letter of Credit for ₤ 50. I received the seed, there was a strong musky smell from the bag; did it proceed from the seed, or was it in consequence of of fumigation on board of ship. Maria is always the same;and will never recover; it is the cause of great trouble, and anxiety to me. Is your health good: I can not say that mine is; and I do not look out for many years more. I have amply provided for you, and your family after my death. Believe me, dear Humphy your affecte.(ionate?) brother John Knight written after it was folded up Always put your full address on each letter, it takes me half a day in searching for it, most of your letters have not got it; I cannot remember so many addresses especially such an odd one as yours. |
The seeds sent by Humphrey continue to cause problems for John. John did provide for Humphrey in his Will. However, John left almost all his property to Sir Charles Henry Rouse-Boughton, a descendant of Thomas Knight the horticulturalist. Sir Charles was John's 3rd cousin. This was an attempt by John to keep his money away from his son, John ("the squanderer") Unfortunately the Will was contested and overturned. Humphrey lost his financial lifeline and John junior squandered his inheritance. |
| Letter # 21 Envelope address: For Mr Humphrey. Knight Post office franking: Henley Hall Dec 25th, 1869 Dear Humphrey, I enclose the usual Letter of Credit for ₤ 50 which no doubt will arrive late. I am not yet well; and not in my house for want of servants. I have nothing in the world to say; except that James Scott died last September, and that Maria has recovered a little from her late illness, but is still very crazy to judge by a letter she has written me. Do you ever see the natives, and converse with them; we had some over here not long ago. They have a peculiar machine that they can drive through the air in a wonderful manner, called the Boomerang; it remind me of the description Will Robinson gave of a machine which he pretended to possess, but which we never saw; that if we gave it a “Pick” it would go through the air like Wincam for miles; this wonderful machine was always put forward, when he wished to have something from me in exchange. Believe me, dear Humphy your affecte.(ionate?) brother J. Knight |
James Scott - nothing known |
| Letter # 22 Envelope address: For Mr Humphrey. Senh. Knight Try Post office franking: Ludlow JY 4 70 Henley Hall July 30th, 1870 Dear Humphrey, I enclose the usual Letter of Credit for ₤ 50. I have nothing in the world to say, unless I mention that it has been a very cold summer, and that we have been suffering from a long drought; and that there is scarcely any hay. I am not well enough to write, and cannot get through my business letters. Hoping that you and your family are well; believe me your affectionate brother John Knight |
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| Letter # 23 Envelope address: For Humphrey Senh. Knight Esq 181 Punt Road Note change of address Nr. Melbourne Henley Hall, Dec 10th, 1870 Dear Humphrey, I have to communicate to you the very painful intelligence of the death of our poor sister Maria, which occurred on the –th of last Oct, it was better to die than to live on in the lamentable condition in which she was placed; she died at Corsham in Wiltshire. Her servants had just ruined her; she paid no attention to her affairs, and consequently left little money ₤ 800; with furniture and others things amounting to ₤ 140- the whole to be divided between Mr & Mrs? Mansfield, yourself, and Edward;I gave my share to Mr & Humphrey Mrs? and remain your affecte.(ionate?) brother J. Knight (P.S.) The Acasias have flowered this year, and are still in flower. |
Maria finally succumbs to insanity in October 1870. Who is Mr Humphrey? |
| Letter # 24 Envelope address: For Humphrey Senh. Knight Esq near Post office franking: Ludlow FE 1 71 Henley Hall Jan 31st, 1871 Dear Humphrey, Mrs Mansfield has sent to me through Messra Child the Bankers a Letter of Credit for ₤205..13..4 representing your share of the Estate of poor Maria;I cannot say anything as to its accuracy; if you wish to be informed on any point you must write to her; her address is 43 Hollywood Road, Brompton, London I suppose you have received my remittance of ₤5. We have had a dreadful winter here; it has killed the new French levies?, poor fellows, unclothed, unfed, and having to lie out in the open at night with nothing to keep them warm; I feel for France; they are capitulating; the country is in a frightful condition; we shall have these Prussians here before long, and then retribution will fall heavy on our base, and dastardly countrymen; who have encouraged the Prussians all through the war. I am not well, and cannot write much. So believe me your affectionate brother John Knight |
Humphrey receives his share of his sister, Maria's estate. The Prussians are comning. |
| Letter # 25 Envelope address: For Humphrey Senh. Knight Esq 63 Punt Road Note change of address near Post office franking: Ludlow JY 11 71 Henley Hall July 11th, 1871 Dear Humphrey, I have been late in sending your money; but I have been, and am still unwell.I never in my life passed such a winter, spring, and summer, as these last; I have been a prisoner in the house the whole of that time; this July has been worse than all the months preceding it in winter and spring; it is now as cold as winter; I can never do without fires either in my sitting room or bedroom; it has done serious injury to my health. My hay crop is entirely lost 40 acres. We have had nothing but rain the whole of this month. There is a Genn (Gentleman?) here well know, I believe, in Australia, who is making a great noise, he calls himself Tichborne, and is believed to be an imposter. I cannot write more; believe me your affectionate brother John Knight |
The Tichborne Imposter legal case in the The affair of the Tichborne claimant was the celebrated 19th-centuryUnited Kingdom of Arthur Orton (1834–1898), an imposter who claimed to be missing heir Sir Roger Tichborne (1829–1854). |
| Letter # 26 Envelope address: For Humphrey Senh. Knight Esq near Post office franking: Dec 26th, 71 Dear Humphrey, I hope you have passed a Merry Christmas,I do not think I have seen a merry Christmas since the time that Jemmy Mergatroid came to the old house, and gave us some good music on the tongues and poker, and kissed all the girls round about; the late Cumberland songs lament the decline of Christmas; “Kersmas is hardly Kersmas noo!” Nowte’s left like what it used to be; T’gall’s not what they used to brew An’t’ fun’s not what we used to see And so on;and it is ring true It appears by this song that Ben Wales was the successor of Jackey Rhamsay; and Ben is spoken of as a hero long passed away; the song says that music never stirs their hearts now “like” T’ Hunts up” played by old Ben Wales”; so old Ben had inherited the glory of old Jackey; one of whose famous pieces was this very “T’ Hunt’s up through the wood” sic transit Gloria mundi.”t was a nice thing to lissen oot that brave old lilt”. Now dear Humphrey, I am not well, and so must end by wishing you a happy new year. Our winters are wretched now o’days; and get worse like all that recorded in song. Believe me, dear Humphy your affecte.(ionate?) brother John Knight |
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| Letter #27 NO ENVELOPE Henley Jan 7th, 1866 Dear Humphrey, I enclose you a Letter of Credit for ₤ 50..10..0- You must not expect long letters from me; mine must necessarily abrupt; although almost unable to write at all times,as I am at present, my time is constantly taken up with it, to the great detriment of my health, as I am prevented taking exercise; and I have innumerable letters now unanswered; no, you must be satisfied with the money I send you, without wishing to impose upon me the additional, and more oppressive tax of writing long letters to you . Wishing you a happy new year Believe me your affecte.(ionate?) brother John Knight |
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| Letter #28 NO ENVELOPE No address or date Dear Humphrey, This is sent because I am going abroad on account of my health; and would find it difficult to send it from any part of the Continent. It is only due in July, usually – I am not well – I am, dear Humphrey, your affecte.(ionate?) brother John Knight |
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| London 26 Nov 1879? My dear Uncle, You will be sorry to hear that poor John is dead. He was carried off by consumption on the 21 September last after having lingered for four months since his return from the The reason why you have not been informed by me sooner of this melancholy event, is that almost immediately after his funeralI was taken ill with Rheumatic Iritis? And have been confined for seven weeks in a dark room and consequently utterly unable to attend to anything. I have only just recovered and find that no other member has notified John’s death to you. Personally I was not unprepared for this result as he had been a sad invalid for many years, I do not know whether you are aware that he had long since disposed of the Henley Estate and was immediately set upon by a swarm of harpies who have left him but half the fortune he ought to have possessed of. I am not of course referring to the sum of money he only properly ?? upon his uncles and aunts; I mean that during four years he has spent besides his income a sum of ₤ 30,000- He ended by marrying a person who had been his servant and who had previously served in the same capacity in my father’s house. He has left his widow ₤ 600- a year; handsome legacies to the ??????? and appointed one his residuary estate?? Hate what the exact value of that will be I am not yet able to tell. The residue comprises ₤ 10,000- in ???? ?????? in trustees to meet the expenses of a new trial in the Court of Sir CHs. Boughton or his sons, reopening the question of the validity of my father’s will at any time during the next 20 years; I also a farm worth ₤ 400- a year with a Mortgage of ₤ 4000- upon it. This?? Has ??? the Henley Estate which failing heirs of mine or ????? might have passed to Uncle Ned’s son or failing his issue to your own sons. It is melancholy but cannot be helped. I hope you and your family are all quite well. My health is much broken. I plan to spend the winter in the south of Should you write to me will you address your letter to Messrs Swinburne & Parkes, 28 With our kindest wishes to you all I remain Your affect. Nephew James Knight |
This letter concerns the death of John Knight's son, also named John. John junior was Humphrey's nephew. The letter is written by James Knight brother of John junior. Previously to seeing this letter the only information I had regarding John junior's wife was the name Frances Sophia with no date of marriage and uncertainty as to whether her surname was Sophia or something else. With the information here that John had married late in life I searched all the John Knight marriages for the period from his father's death in 1872 onwards and found a marriage in Marylebone in Q4 1876 between John Knight and Frances Sophia Armstrong. A census check for 1871 revealed that she was indeed a servant and a check of the 1881 census that she was widowed and living with her parents, her father a retired butler. John was aged 45 at the time of his marriage and Sophia aged 23. They had no children. Sophia remarried Leonard Jervis Rice Oxley in 1884. Shropshire Archives hold records of her marriage settlement with Oxley. She would have been quite wealthy as a result of John's death. ????? would probably be his brother, Charles (check transcription) |
| Downton
Hall 19 July 1873 Dear Sir, I beg to acknowledge your letter of the 20th of May, and to inform you in reply that I regret that I have no power to help you in any way, because when the Court of probate determined that the will was null and void my position as executor was gone. You probably soon after writing to me learnt the substance of the communication which my solicitors sent to their agents at Melbourne giving them the result of the trial - I need not therefore trouble you further upon this matter, beyond expressing my regret on your account at the result, and also that my own impression coincides with yours that the late Mr Knight knew perfectly well the nature of the will he had executed Faithfully yours ????Boughton |
The date of this letter may be suspect Humphrey's brother John's will declared null and void. If Humphrey thought that John knew what he was doing then presumably Humphrey was a beneficiary under John's invalid will. Janice Mary Marsh remembers family talk about "money in chancery". Sir Charles Henry Rouse Boughton (check transcription) |
| Henley Hall Septr. 23rd 1873 My dear Uncle Humphrey John wishes me to write to you and explain why he has not replied to your first letter which he received safely but he has been so very ill and to much worried both during and since the “Trial” that he has been quite unable to write. I am sure you will understand this when I tell you that for several years he has been in most delicate health in fact has twice ruptured a blood vessel. Besides suffering from other complaints. I am to tell you that he thanks you for your kind letter which he was much pleased to receive and that he greatly regrets the trouble and anxiety you must have suffered which was unavoidable on account of his fathers unnatural will and he hopes you have received ere this one hundred pounds, which he sent you in June and also that you will receive the draft which he has directed to be sent to you at once. Too that you may get the fifty pounds sent to you from his Father???. John intends allowing you two hundred a year so that he trusts your mind may no longer be worried upon pecuniary matters. The costs of the trial amount to fifteen thousand pounds and as this comes out of the estate, of course reduces greatly the assets which the inheritors i.e. John, James, Charles and Henrietta’s children will have , from the personality. We were surprised and shocked to see that Uncle John had never delivered any message you sent either to Mamma, Uncle Ned or any of the family – it is impossible to conceive what could be his motive, excepting? That it was “ that being always at ???? with the rest of his family himself he wished others to be the same.. _ We must ???? very much hard to find that you sent him a lasinal?? message many years ago – which the never ????? of until after his death. Uncle Ned’s address is now Maison Fortier Honfleur He has two daughters and a son the latter is aged twenty one, he is very clever and nice. Uncle Ned is a good father and very proud of his children. Very different from Uncle John in that respect – He will be ???? ???? to hear from you, we saw him in I never saw his poor wifes ?????? after her death _ Mamma’s ??? was ??? on ???????? as she was ??????? unable to appear in Court – at her age it was most trying, in fact she has not yet got over the shock to her nervous system it caused – and she has had so many trials lately, my older sisters death took place just before Uncle John’s, so I am the only one left. Though she has several grandchildren. My poor sister died in I here now ???? you all the particulars I can of the family and trusting that yourself and your wife and children are all in good health, believe me from your affectionate neice Elanora E.? H. Marsfie P.S. have been staying here a third time with some friends of John’s – He sends his kind love and will write himself when able to do so. ????? Was not able to come with me he is coming shortly on a visit. I do not think he will live here probably let the place, as it would ???? a much larger income than he has to keep it up. |
Elanora Mansfield writes to her uncle Humphrey from Henley Hall to tell him that John junior is to double his allowance. I would doubt that he ever followed through on this. John, James and Charles are John's sons, all aliive and childless. Henrietta Kent (John's daughter had died in childbirth in 1861. She left three children. Uncle Ned is Edward Knight, brother of Humphrey and John. Elanora tells of the death of her sister Isabella Spedding in "America" recently. Isabella's death details previously unknown. Elanora also says that her sister Isabella had died "just before John" John died 12 September 1872 Elanora usually lived with her mother, Henrietta, and did not marry until after she had died. |
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address: Humphrey S.Knight Esq Collingwood Wolverley Cottage Cliftonville My Dear Uncle, You will probably be surprised after so long a time to hear again from me. I have always had on my mind the letter you wrote to me some three years ago,and had it not been for a serious illness which attacked me not long after and which has taken a very long time to cure, I should probably have noticed it before this. You mentioned you may remember, some cases of fulfilled presentiments occurring in your personal experience which were certainly very curious. You were led to speak about them in connection with what I had said about faith. You very rightly remarked that faith was the very life of the soul, but then you immediately added “ I believe the air around us is pervaded by innumerable spiritual beings to “ and then you went on to relate those remarkable phenomena which had occurred to you. What I want to point out is that Faith, the life giving faith of which I had written is not just a belief in the invisible in general, but it is of more special and definite nature. The faith that saves is that simple and entire trust in the revelation which God has made himself in the Bible; faith in a sin-hating and yet merciful God, faith in that method which He has devised by which the perfect holiness and justice can be vindicated and His infinite love to men can be manifested, and that is The Cross of Christ. For there we see Him punishing sin, but punishing it in his dear Son, in order that we, the guilty ones may escape. Happy are we when we can truly exercise this faith; when feeling our wretched state as ruined sinners, we rest entirely for pardon and salvation on the merits and righteousness of our crucified and risen Saviour ; “ being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” Romans V.I And this faith is one, which, as it has its seat in the heart, will act in our everyday life. This is a faith, to use the words of the apostle “ who worketh by love” Gal.V.6. and The promise of the Holy Spirit is to everyone who will ask, how beautifully, how fully is it made by our Lord ! see Gospel according to St Luke XI 9-13 It is an interesting thought, no doubt, that possibly there are in the atmosphere around us numberless intelligences. Some arrayed on our side as God’s ministering spirits (Heb I.14) others as fallen and evil, warring against us, under Satan, the “prince of the power of the air “ Ephn.II.2 But how much more wonderful, how much more glorious to think that the Infinite Spirit, the Holy Ghost, the third person of the ever blessed Trinity, is everywhere in the world, silently striving with man, ready to take up His abode in the heart of the humble and prayerful, to enlighten them, to strengthen them, sanctify and comfort them John XIV 16-17 The life of faith, the way of holiness is indeed the only way of peace and of safety. The world is passing away, let us see that we are building on the rock, that we are drinking of the fountain of living waters, let Christ be our only hope. In writing all this, I hope you will not misunderstand me nor think that I do so under a full? Conviction that you do not know these great things – indeed, I do trust you to know them – but as there was an indistinctness in your way of putting it, I thought I should be on the safe side by trying to put these all importanat truths before you. I hope you are quite well, as also your family - with best wishes I am Yr. affte. Nephew C.Knight |
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address: Humphrey S.Knight Esq Richmond Terrace Collingwood My Dear Uncle, It is now some four or five years since I wrote to you last, I know not if you received the letter. I hope you are well, and also all your family. Your sister Mrs Mansfield is still living, very old and infirm, almost blind, but in full possession of her intellectual facilities. She and her daughter live in apartments in Do you know anything of the two daughters of your late brother Thomas? I have never seen them, and have been wondering whether they might have not have found their way into your parts. In conclusion , my dear uncle, I send you my best wishes. May I be allowed to express my hope that you are fixing the eye of faith simply and solely upon Christ; that it is on the merits of His perfect and finished? Work on the Cross that you are resting all your hopes for acceptance at the last great day. Yes, when we approach God the Father thro’ His dear Son, in repentance and faith, He does indeed bless us; He is then our own Heavenly Father,and gives us the gracious help and comfort, aye, the abiding Presence of His Holy Spirit. I hope I may have the pleasure of hearing from you; tho’ I am so much from home yet the address Wolverley Villa Will always find me I remain Yr. affte. Nephew C.Knight |
Elanora Mansfield lived with her mother Henrietta Mansfield until Henrietta's death in Brighton in1890. It was only after her mother's death that Elanora married in 1893, aged 66. Marion Knight married Thomas Patrick Geoghegan in Q3 1884 Maria Florence Knight married Charles Samuel Jerram in Q2 1879. He was a teacher. Edward Frederic Knight was a barrister and yachting author Interesting Relationship The writer, Charles Knight was married to Caroline Amy Norton (b.1846 in NSW), Caroline had a sister Emily (b.1848 NSW). Emily's daughter Sybil ended up marrying Maria Florence Knight's son, Charles Frederick Jerram in 1912. Marianne Knight married Thomas Simpson in 1870. Isabella Knight married Charles Simpson (brother of above) in 1871 |
