Description
Queen’s South Africa, bar Transvaal, 2205 Sergeant Francis Alden Knott, 4th Bn Railway Pioneer Regiment, a career Railway man who emigrated to South Africa.
Officially impressed: “2205 L. Serjt: F. A. Knott. Rly: Pnr: Regt”
Confirmed on the medal roll, which notes he later earned the SA 1901 and SA 1902 clasp but not the KSA medal for his further service, which was sent loose after the issue of the medal.
Francis served during the Boer War with the 4th Battalion, Railway Pioneer Regiment. At this time he was a qualified Mechanical Engineer.
Francis Alden Knott, was born in Worcester, Worcestershire during 1870.
Son of Henry Nicholls Knott and Catharine Eliza Grimbly.
About 15 years old when he signed up with Great Western Railways on 22nd August 1885 as a Fitting Apprentice. An unusual note unique to him on his page of the employe books was that he was “bound by indenture” to the job, also his father had died quite young during 1880.
Francis came from a good family, his father was a Solicitor, it looks like this was some form of punishment, as after this he went on to gain an education to become a qualified Mechanical Engineer.
By the 1891 Census he was in different circumstances being a 21 year old “Student of Mechanical Engineering.” in Oxfordshire, the home of his mother.
It looks like his wealthy Grandfather, and Mayor of Banbury, James Grimbly Esq had paid for this education, who was a “Grocer, Wine and Spirit Merchant, Alderman J.P.) This was the Grimbly Hughes and Co Ltd Grocery Stores in Oxfordshire, a popular grocers back in they day.
Some time during the 1890s he came to South Africa, seemingly after becoming a Mechanical Engineer to work with the Railways in South Africa.
May 1892, he joined the Institution of Civil Engineers as a candidate student.
Francis remained in South Africa for the rest of his life, he found love a little later in life marrying 39 year old “Spinster” Sybil Irene Hart on 28th July 1934, a 64 year old “Retired mechanical Engineer”, until he died on 17th January 1848 in Cape Town at which time he was noted as a “Retired Engineer”.
