K/NIBB/S ONE NAME STUDY
5. PROFILES OF NOTABLE K/NIBB/S
Jamaican missionary and slaves friend
You might like to view his family tree in conjunction with reading this item.
One could write a whole book about The Reverend William KNIBB. John Howard HINTON, The Rev R.A.L. KNIGHT, Philip WRIGHT to name but three already have! Of these WRIGHT's 'Knibb the Notorious' is perhaps the best 'read', whether or not you're into William KNIBB. HINTON's book is on-line as a Google eBook. William features anonymously in Andrea Levy�s award winning 2010 novel, 'The Long Song'
He was born a twin on 7th September 1803 in the family home in Kettering, Northamptonshire, the third son of Thomas, a tailor, and 'poor but noble' wife Mary, née DEXTER. His twin was a girl called Ann, who inexplicably told HINTON that she always celebrated her birthday on the 6th of September. There were eight children in total. Life could not have been comfortable, his father, often the worse for drink, was declared insolvent in 1810. Seven years before that, he had avoided being called up to serve for his country against Napoleon by paying a substitute to stand in his place on the Kettering Militia List, a 17 year old, William GOOBY.
Mary was pious and the religious partner of the marriage. She was a teacher and member of the nonconformist Kettering Independent Church called 'The Great Meeting', the building now part of The Toller Chapel. Her husband positively showed no such religious inclinations, much to the later sadness of William in letters written to his mother from Jamaica. His formal schooling only lasted to the age of 12 and more than one commentator has remarked on his skill at playing marbles, rather than upon any academic brilliance.
He also attended from the age of 7, the Reverend Toller's Sunday School with brothers Thomas and Christopher (later a draper in Birmingham). Samuel LEA attended (infrequently it seems) and later married William's twin Ann. Another brother Edward KNIBB, a one-time shopkeeper in Liverpool, followed his father into bankruptcy. He later went to Jamaica ('the lowest and most vulgar person I have ever met with' per Henry BLAGROVE, although William's letters to Edward show no hint of that) and opened a provisions shop in Falmouth. His brother James kept bad company by all accounts.
By contrast, William's Sunday School teacher had, according to some reports 'early on recognised the lad's maturity for his age and the compassionate side of his nature' and others quote Mr Gill 'a good boy but somewhat volatile and very difficult to manage until his affection had been gained'. He looked like and looked up to Thomas, four years his senior. The two boys followed similar career paths. Both became apprenticed in turn to Mr J G FULLER whose printing business was in Gold Street, Kettering, close by his father's Baptist church. Indeed, the Reverend Andrew FULLER was a founding member, with William CAREY, John RYLAND, Reynold HOGG and others, of the Society formed in Kettering in October 1792 "for propagating the gospel among heathens", destined to become the Baptist Missionary Society ('BMS'). Andrew FULLER was Secretary of the Committee.
In 1816, following the death of his father the year before, Mr FULLER moved the printing business to Bristol, Thomas and William moving with it. John Ryland, by then Doctor, had long since become Pastor at the Broadmead Baptist Church in Bristol, paradoxically a city that had thrived on the slave trade. He had been persuaded to take over the Secretaryship of the Missionary Committee and perhaps that was the spur for the business removal. In any event, Mr FULLER became the Superintendent at Broadmead. The brothers were drawn to its Sunday School and were kept exposed to the work of the BMS through continuing to print its pamphlets and accounts. RYLAND was also Principal of Bristol College, the oldest Baptist theological school which had been specifically founded to train Missionaries - to spread the gospel, it has to be said, not to campaign against slavery. Prospective missionaries were encouraged to marry before taking up their posts, so as to avoid any temptations or unfounded accusations from working in countries where the moral codes of life were, let's say, somewhat different than in England.
Thomas KNIBB led the way to Jamaica, with his bride 'Bett', having been accepted as a teacher in 1822, the year William committed himself fully to God. Dr John RYLAND himself
performed the baptisms. Within 14 months of beginning to teach at the school in Kingston, and before he could make any real impact, tropical fever struck Thomas down in April 1824 (sic). Here is a link to some moving lines written by one of his sisters on his departure and upon his death followed by a commentary.
William, who was regarded as less able than Thomas and amazingly (for what was to come) had never considered himself capable of preaching, immediately applied to take his brother's place. This despite the death also in Jamaica of his friend Samuel NICHOLS, assistant to James COULTHART, who was himself ill at the time.
Aged just twenty, he succeeded in persuading the BMS to allow him to go to Jamaica. He first married fellow Church member Mary WATKINS in Bristol; her background in South Wales is obscure, apart from the fact that her parents died when she was young. She spoke fluent Welsh. Before setting off, he took her to meet his family in Kettering, where his mother wished them God's speed. Later her nephew Benjamin DEXTER, the son of her brother Worcester DEXTER, was to make the same journey as a Baptist missionary with his wife Ann.
The graphical account of William and Mary's voyage given in 'KNIBB the Notorious' reveals what was entailed in making such a journey across the Atlantic at that time. William was to make nine crossings in all.
He began teaching, following in his brother's footsteps at mission schools (starting at the "Gully School" on the same premises as the "Gully Chapel" which became the East Queen Street Baptist Church) and preaching at various places, including Port Royal, without at first Licence to do so. To him from the outset, the whole concept of slavery was totally abhorrent: slaves were people not property, capable of deciding for themselves whether to accept Christianity and its reward of eternal life to all who acknowledge Jesus Christ as the Son of God. He couldn't begin to entertain the planters 'excuse', not gainsaid by the Anglican church, that Africans were intellectually incapable of making an educated decision about anything, not least religion. This excuse enabled the planters to justify to themselves the barbaric practice of slavery and so a collision course with William and like minded evangelical preachers was inevitable.
His personal letters home show how determined William was to do all within his power to 'slay the monster' that was slavery. However, the BMS relied upon the goodwill of the masters on their sugar plantations and could not support (at least openly) the emancipationist movement. Missionaries were firmly instructed and reminded not to interfere in civil or political affairs. This was their stance right up to the reception of William's speech at their public Annual Meeting in Spa Fields Chapel on 21st June 1832.
".......... I call upon children, by the cries of the infant slave who I saw flogged on the Macclesfield Estate, in Westmoreland. ..... I call upon parents, by the blood streaming back of Catherine WILLIAMS , who, with a heroism England has seldom known, preferred a dungeon to the surrender of her honour. I call upon Christians by the lacerated back of William BLACK of King's Valley, whose back, a month after flogging, was not healed. I call upon you all, by the sympathies of Jesus".
At this point, Mr DYER, Secretary of the BMS, is stated in the Patriot to have pulled the tail of his coat by way of admonition.
"Whatever may be the consequence, I will speak. At the risk of my connexion with the Society with the society, and of all I hold dear, I will avow this............. Lord, open the eyes of Christians in England, to see the evil of slavery and to banish it from the earth."
William's oratory brought thunderous applause and by the end of the evening DYER himself had proposed the next round in the struggle - a public meeting at Exeter Hall. |
'Facts and Documents connected with the Late Insurrecion in Jamaica and the Violations of Civil and Religious Liberty arising out of it' Extracts: "The Baptist Chapel at Falmouth had been occupied during Martial Law as Barracks by the St Anne's Regiment.......It was completely demolished..... information was given to Lieutenant Thomas Tennison......"it was no matter whether they broke it or not, he supposed they would set fire to it too!"
Mr Knibb ... paid a visit to Falmouth early in March. For three successive nights his lodging was stoned, and he was cautioned by two respectable gentlemen, against venturing out in the evening, as a party had clubbed together to tar and feather him.
After Martial Law was discontinued, the horses of Mr Knibb were taken from Falmouth, by Major General Hilton, who has, until very recently retained posssession of them." The full publication contained a Memorial by the Baptist Ministers seeking relief from the Governor of Jamaica and other relevant documents designed to make the British Public aware of what had happened at the time of the Insurrection. |
The Notice below was surely inspired by William's stand at the 21st June Annual Meeting of the BMS, and he certainly made use of it by including a copy of the Notice in the 'Facts and Documents' publication.
From a Special meeting of the DEPUTIES from the several Congregations of PROTESTANT DISSENTERS of the three Denominations in, and within twelve miles of London .... 26th July 1832 as extracted from a Notice in 'The Times' the following day and included in the 'Facts and Documents' already quoted. |
William KNIBB's determination had won over the BMS Committee to recognise that slavery had to be abolished. He argued that until its abolition 'root and branch' there was no way of slaves enjoying everything the gospel had to offer. Notably he spoke at a packed public meeting of the Friends of Christian Missions, Exeter Hall, London on 15th August 1832, where it was said that his face 'glowed as he spoke with impassioned sincerity and fervour for the cause'.
"I look upon the question of slavery only as one of religion and morality. All I ask is, that my African brother may stand in the same family of man; that my African sister shall, while she clasps her tender infant to her breast, be allowed to call it her own; that they both shall be allowed to bow their knees in prayer to that God who has made of one blood all nations as one flesh" |
"You may have heard that the apprentices are lazy and idle, and this is just as true, as that they have 'four parlours and a saloon'. Though attempts have been made to annoy them, and though a most iniquitous law has been passed, which compels night-work, still they submit". From a letter to Mr Eustace CAREY in February 1835. |
"The hour is at hand, the monster is dying" as recited by William KNIBB on 31 July 1838 at his Falmouth church, Jamaica moments before midnight, the time set for the final abolition of slavery. Once the church bell had struck, he shouted "The monster is dead; the Negro is free!". A pair of shackles were then buried in a coffin with a sign over the grave. "Colonial Slavery died 31 July 1838, Age 276 years". |
Below the figure of Justice, the likenesses of Granville SHARPE, Joseph STURGE and William WILBERFORCE appear with William KNIBB at the base, below former slaves clearly enjoying their freedom.
"I here pledge myself, by all that is solemn and sacred never to rest satisfied, until I see my black brethren in the enjoyment of the same civil and religious liberties which I myself enjoy, and see them take a proper stand in society as men" declared William KNIBB on 1 Aug 1838 at a public meeting in Falmouth, Jamaica , the first day of freedom for the slaves." |
"The same God who made the white made the black man. The same blood that runs in the white man's veins, flows in yours. It is not the complexion of the skin, but the complexion of character that makes the great difference between one man and another." So spoken on 1st August 1839 at a meeting of the Falmouth Auxiliary Anti-Slavery Society chaired by a black man. |
A major accomplishment for him, on this trip to England, was to persuade the BMS to start missionary work in Africa. His daughter Catherine later went with her husband Captain Thomas MILBOURNE on a Missionary ship to the West African coast. This took a toll on her health and, returning to Jamaica, she died there in 1858. Their daughter "Minnie" left Jamaica for England where she was taken to meet her prospective stepmother by Mary, who was herself in England 1861-1862.
Fund raising was always an issue and burdensome. William and his fellow missionaries didn't receive a subsidy as did the Established Church. As usual he innovated. One example was the sale by him in England of medals issued in 1842 to mark the BMS Jubilee in Kettering at which he attended. He had though accepted from his congregation the offer of a house for himself and his family in the knowledge that they would have somewhere to live should he die of one of the bouts of fever, ever present. He returned there from his last mentioned trip to England in 1845. The house is no longer standing but a photograph of the renovated Falmouth manse is shown here
His great granddaughter, Inez Knibb SIBLEY (descended via daughter Ann & the Rev Ellis FRAY, a mixed race graduate of the Calabar seminary), wrote 'Freed slaves gave William his house at 'Kettering' where he died of fever at the age of 42' after a four day illness. This was before he could accept an invitation to go to America to speak against slavery there. He left Mary his widow and their three surviving daughters, two of whom married; Ann and Catherine (as both mentioned). An estimated 7,000-8,000 people thronged around the Falmouth Church for his funeral just 25 hours after his death, so quickly did word spread.
|
To the Memory of William Knibb Who departed this life on the 15th November, 1845, in the 43rd year of his age. This monument was erected by the emancipated slaves to whose enfranchisement and elevation his indefatigable exertions so largely contributed; by his fellow-labourers, who admired and loved him, and deeply deplore his early removal; and by friends of various creeds and parties, as an expression of their esteem for one whose praise as a man, a philanthropist, and a Christian minister, is in all the churches, and who, being dead, yet speaketh. |
Photo by E Wells Elliott |
Great nieces, Polly and Lily KNIBB, following in the tradition of tolerance espoused by their grandfather Thomas and great uncle William, founded a 'School For Ladies Of Colour' when racial prejudice still abounded.
One hundred and forty three years were to pass, when in 1988, on the 150th anniversary of the abolition of slavery in the British Empire, William KNIBB was granted Jamaica's highest civil honour, The Order of Merit. Only one other non-Jamaican and no 'white' man shared this honour at the time.
Devon Dick summed up his powerful paper advocating this award as follows;
"He was for the black man and had great faith in the untapped resources of the negroes. No other person of his era demonstrated such faith in the prowess of the black people.
In 1961, The William KNIBB Memorial High School was founded in Falmouth, Jamaica.
In addition to The William KNIBB Centre (a youth and education establishment) in his home town of Kettering, there are other tributes there to William. Click on any of the three thumbnail pictures below to see larger versions and read all about them below. In the case of the mosaic, choose which panel you wish to enlarge.
Market Street plaque |
Coat of Arms |
EKTA mosaic |
Left, a blue plaque erected by the Kettering Civic Society in Market Street on the site where the family once lived. (Photo by Alison Bagley, courtesy of The Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph.)   Click here to see its unveiling in a slideshow. This was as part of the celebrations held in Kettering to mark the bi-centenary of William's birth, not least a K/NIBB/S Gathering
Centre, his legacy is to be seen in the Coat of Arms of his native Kettering - a black figure stands on the right with, dangling from his left wrist, a broken chain, symbolizing William's pioneer work in the cause of the abolition of slavery.
Right, an impressive mosaic in the Newlands Shopping Centre. It was placed there by EKTA ('unity' in Hindi), an enterprising group of young people of ethnic minority descent who address issues about racialism. They were helped in the project by individual contributions from members of the public, all under the creative guidance of artist Carole Miles. An explanation of what is depicted in each of the three panels appears when you click on one of them.
Would that in this century William KNIBB were recognised elsewhere than in Jamaica and Kettering as the great man he was, an early crusader for racial equality - no less than the Martin Luther KING of his day - . Whereas CLARKSON, WILBERFORCE and others were resigned to the abolition of slavery happening in time, it was William KNIBB who secured its immediate implementation in the British Empire, paving the way for it to be later abolished elsewhere - much later in many colonial countries. Even in this day and age, the World needs men as forceful and courageous as William KNIBB to eradicate slavery once and for all.
* An analysis of the evidence he gave to the House of Commons Select Committee can be read on line at Google Books. Many books and articles referring to William KNIBB in glowing terms appear there.
©ACJ 2000 Updated 2003/6
Do visit the website of the William KNIBB Memorial Church at Falmouth, Jamaica and kindly consider giving a donation to their Hurricane Ivan Appeal.
I would mention the following websites for other articles about William KNIBB and related matters
http://www.broadmeadbaptist.org.uk/knibb
http://cockpitcountry.com/falmouth/knibbchurch.html
Here's a tale from 'The Missionary Herald' about 'The Stolen Girls' which shows yet another aspect of William's humanity.
Bibliography:
Kettering Return of Enrolment 1 Aug 1803, Religious Persecution in Jamaica - Report of the Speeches of The Rev Peter DUNCAN and The Rev W KNIBB (Exeter Hall - 15th August 1832), various newspaper cuttings and tributes.
'The Life of Benjamin Robert HAYDON From his Autobiography and Journals' edited and compiled by Tom TAYLOR 2nd edition Vol 3 - published by Longman, Brown, Green and Longmans 1853 London.
'Baptist Autographs in the John Rylands University Library of Manchester, 1741-1845' Baptist History Series, published by Mercer University Press 2009
For other books and publications - please see Dossier
NB
1. The Reform Act 1832 mentioned above also impacted upon other social ills such as the Swing Riots.
2. An edited version of the William KNIBB item above appears on the Victorianweb which has a wealth of other information about the period in which William lived.
THE KNIBB FAMILY OF CLOCKMAKERS
(Contributed by David G KNIBB of Seattle)
You might like to view their family tree in conjunction with reading this item.
We first find the KNIBB family in the English village of Claydon some 15 miles northeast of Oxford. This is gentle farming country up the Thames River from London. King Charles set up his government in Oxford in 1644-46, only a few years after Samuel and Joseph KNIBB were born in Claydon. By then Oxford University was already over 400 years old.
Samuel and Joseph were cousins, so at least two KNIBB families lived in or near that village. Samuel, born 1625, was the third son of John KNIBB, yeoman of Claydon and Warborough. His cousin Joseph, born 1640, was the fifth son of Thomas KNIBB, yeoman of Claydon. The two fathers, John and Thomas, may have been brothers.
Samuel's Apprentices | ||
George TIPPING | - | Jan 1665 |
John MILLER | - | Jan 1668 |
Joseph's Apprentices | ||
Peter KNIBB | - | 31 July 1668 |
Thomas SMITH | - | 1 Oct 1669 |
Patrick VANS | - | May 1672 |
Edmund MASSEY | - | Dec 1673 |
John MILLER | - | Ex Samuel |
John DREW | - | Sep 1676 |
Edward WRIGHT | - | Apr 1682 |
Brouncker WATTS | - | Jan 1685 |
Thomas FARMER | - | Ex Edward MASSEY? |
Edward KNIBB | - | c1693 |
James HUNT | - | May 1699 |
| ||
Samuel ALDWORTH | - | 27 May 1673 |
William HITCHCOCK | - | 4 Sep 1675 |
Thomas LIDBROOK | - | 26 Jul 1679 |
Mathias UNITE | - | 18 Oct 1681 |
John FORD | - | 28 Apr 1682 |
John GOWETH | - | 11 Oct 1686 |
John FREE | - | 7 Jul 1696 |
Thomas GILLETT | - | 29 Jun 1698 |
George WENTWORTH | - | 2 Apr 1706 |
Humphrey BRICKLAND | - | c1710 |
NOTE FROM YOUR HOST Some more genealogical information about the KNIBB Family of Clockmakers has now come to light as shown on the Clockmakers' Tree and Listing. Not all of it has been authenticated as yet but it is known that one branch of the clockmaking family moved to Stoke Goldington in Buckinghamshire. It is not inconceivable that Samuel and Joseph's forbears actually originated in that area, which might explain why Samuel started his business in Newport Pagnell. The Job KNIBB/Beata PENNE marriage, mentioned above * , appears as the very next one in the Farnborough Register to clockmaker Peter KNIBB's marriage to Katherine SHREWSBURY on 29th April 1679 in that same parish. These two KNIBBs were brothers and first cousins to Samuel and Joseph. It was some of Job's descendants who moved to Stoke Goldington. George KNIBB b1750 was still described as a clockmaker even though I suspect he made only the wooden cases for clocks. It appears likely that there was more than one KNIBB family in Stoke Goldington; one of those branches can be tracked right down to a well documented tree that includes four distantly related KNIBB families who have participated in the One Name Study. You can see the beginnings of this line to the right hand side of the wide Clockmakers' Tree * . I'm also keen to sort out the exact links between the KNIBB &WISE clockmaking families. We know from BEESON that the wife of Thomas KNIBB (mother of Joseph and John) Elizabeth WISE had a brother William WISE b 1621 who was a clockmaker. He started business at Wantage, Berkshire before 1660. She also had a cousin (or kinsman) who was a clockmaker. In those times 'cousin' more often than not meant 'nephew'. |
Dissenting compiler fl. 1754-65
He wrote The Psalm Singers Help - a collection of tunes in 3 parts, then used in several Churches and dissenting Congregations in London with a thorough bass (sic) for harpsichord or organ. Also an introduction for the use of learners.
Printed for and sold by Thomas KNIBB. Anyone claim him as an ancestor?
A new edition appeared in 1775 printed by G PEARCH and J GURNEY.
Henry Herbert KNIBBS 1874 - 1945
Cowboy Poet & Author
Birthplace Clifton, now Niagara Falls, Ontario but a US citizen because of his American parentage. He jested that Clifton was 'responsible for two of nature's greatest wonders' - HHK and the Falls! Several novels. Mainly verse and story writer. "Where the Ponies Come to Drink" and "Boomer Johnson" are two oft quoted poems of his. There is a picture of him in 'World Authors 1900 - 1950, so important enough to have justified an entry. I also tracked down his Archive at Stanford University which contains a wealth of information about his life and times as well as his literary works. Travelled widely and lived at Rochester but later moved to California. The Archive contains documents showing that his grandfather Isaac KNIBBS was born in England. His biography record at Los Angeles Library states that his ancestors were Cornish tin miners, seamen and Long Island farmers. As for Cornwall, this is what he himself believed but I'm as sure as can be that his KNIBBS family came originally from Oxfordshire in England. My theory is that they left there looking for work in the West Country and not finding it migrated across the Atlantic. Do visit Don KNIBBS' website to see exactly where HHK fits in.
The following websites also provide information about HHK and give examples of his work:
http://www.angelfire.com/trek/erbzine14/erbz950.html and http://www.bartleby.com/104/63.html
Marsha ENSMINGER surfing the internet found several items about HHK, inter alia, that the maiden name of his mother was WOODRUFF. Indeed, her family background is well documented in the Archive mentioned above and I have a copy of her Will together with copies of many letters written by her to Harry, as he was known to family and friends. Now, he married Ida Julia PFEIFFER - any known links with a certain film actress?!!
©ACJ Aug/Oct 2000 updated Oct 2004
JAMES LANGFORD NIBBS 1738-1795
Antiguan 'Gentleman' Sugar plantation owner
You might like to view his family tree in conjunction with reading this item.
His full pedigree resides at the College of Arms but a copy appears in Vere Langford OLIVER's book on "THE HISTORY OF THE ISLAND OF ANTIGUA, One of the Leeward Caribbee in the West Indies, from the first Settlement in 1635 to the Present Time." Published by Mitchell and Hughes, 1896. The late Graham NIBBS located this book and kindly told me about it.
I've put together as much as I can from the book and various sources.
I did commission The York Herald at The College of Arms to carry out a basic search for me and that's how I established that James was granted a Coat of Arms on 13 Oct 1759. He had returned from Antigua and his then address was given as St John's College, Oxford. Later, he lived at Beauchamps House near Tiverton, Devon.
Brian NIBBS of Jersey very kindly paid for a drawing of 'the full achievement of Armorial Bearings'. It's a representation of this Coat of Arms (copied here) that appears in the top left hand corner of the website pages.
The NIBBS family were sugar plantation owners in Antigua at the time. I learned originally from Lester PARRY that Jane AUSTEN's father was at Oxford with James Langford NIBBS. He became a trustee of the estate and taught a son George NIBBS, who lived for a time with the AUSTEN family at Steventon Rectory. George was in fact a godson to Jane's father as was Jane's elder brother to James Langford NIBBS. It is therefor most likely that the sugar plantation referred to in 'Mansfield Park' is none other than the NIBBS property.
Not all was a bed of roses, James Langford NIBBS junior was a spendthrift son who was sent back to occupy one of the Estates in Antigua and was eventually disinherited. A map is available of the NIBBS plantations, together with listings of the local Antiguan Parish Records.
Another son, the Reverend George Langford NIBBS at Cutcombe was destined to succeed to the family fortunes (such as they were, the sugar plantations no longer yielding the fortunes of former days). A daughter of his, Emily Mary, married Charles Edward Ascough EVERED, a former Lieutenant who was awarded an Indian Mutiny campaign medal.
A descendant of the 'armorial' NIBBS was Eleanor CORNTHWAITE who in 1951 lived at Seaton, Devon when she wrote to an ancestor of Graham's. I had said here that attempts to trace her family were unsuccessful but I did manage to make contact with one who read the item though cannot as yet add more details about the NIBBS family.
A different branch of the family back from Antigua included James Knight NIBBS at Upton House, Nursling near Southampton .
Also doubtless related, Rosalyn WILCOCK is a traced descendant via James Burnham NIBBS of George NIBBS who owned a sugar plantation at Tortola. She has kindly copied to me a Will of Elizabeth NIBBS nee HARRISON who died in 1865 which identifies the land James Burnham NIBBS inherited and which was bequeathed to his children.
Richard Henry NIBBS 1816-1893
Marine Painter par excellence
"The son of a member of the orchestra of the Brighton Theatre. Mr NIBBS was educated at Worthing in a school kept by Mr TIDEY, the father of the well known artist, Henry TIDEY. He was trained for the musical profession and eventually attained celebrity as a violincello player...... His fondness for Art was, however, so great that he devoted himself to the study of Nature, and by dint of perseverance, and the exercise of his natural capacity for close observation, he acquired a marvellous facility in grasping the fleeting effects of clouds and waves, and in painting broad manner of light and shadow with unerring certainty...." extracted from Memoriam notice - The Brighton Herald 14 September 1893.
The one and only J M W TURNER's palette ended up with R H NIBBS. It was left by TURNER to George COBB, friend and attorney, whom it is thought drew up his Will. COBB gave it to R H NIBBS via his connections with the Brighton Theatre. Subsequently, R H NIBBS donated the palette to the National Gallery. All this information has been taken from Reg MAYHEW's Family History website which quotes Extracts from " The Theatre Royal Brighton " by Antony DALE.
Most famous works 'HMS Vengeance' at Spithead and 'Queen Victoria landing at the Chain Pier, Brighton in 1843' after her visit to Louis Philippe at Eu.
(My home town is Brighton, so I am very much aware of Richard Henry's work and have some details about his immediate family. I must say, however, that I've been rather defeated by the sheer number of Richard Henrys (as has Brian NIBBS) and the events during their lifetime! But we can report progress on the origins of the family. Thanx go to Linda SYSON-NIBBS who supplied a handwritten note written by Richard Henry NIBBS senior; he cites Great Marlow as the place from where his grandfather came. Now the hunt is on to find the links with the other K/NIBB/S families who were resident there at the time ie early eighteenth century. ACJ)
Sir George Handley KNIBBS 1858-1929
CMG 1911 Knighted 1923
'He began his career as a surveyor in the NSW Survey Dept. He was interested in education, and in fashion of the times, was a poet conversant with several languages, ancient and modern, an artist, philosopher and lover of music. He taught mathematics and physics at the University of Surrey and later became Director of Technical Education for NSW. It was he who instituted the Official Year Book throughout his tenure as Commonwealth Statistician (commenced in 1906 and concluded 1921) he maintained his strong mathematical and statistical interest in population problems, and published The Mathematical Theory of Population, first separately in 1917 and later as an appendix to the Report on the Australian Census of 1921. He was much concerned with the Malthusian theory that population would outgrow food supplies, a threat which has become even more serious today.
Knibbs retired in 1921 to become Director of the Institute of Science & Industry......
An Annual Memorial Lecture is held in Canberra in his honour.
Colin W J & Shirley M KNIBB - 'Rattus Norwegicus', 'Furries of Castle Mound', The Mouse with ESP' & 'The Chimney Worm'
David G KNIBB 'Federal Court of Appeals Manual' 1997-06-01 (A Manual on Practice in the United States Court of Appeals)
David G KNIBB 'Grizzly Wars: The Public Fight Over the Great Bear' Eastern Washington University Press ISBN/ISBN13: 159766037X / 9781597660372
Joyce G KNIBB - American author of amongst others 'Let Us Speak of Pleasant Things and of Warm Places in the Heart' and 'The Family' 2006 Trafford Publishing Dimensions 1412078008ISBN-13
Joyce G KNIBB & Patricia A Mehrtens - Elusive Booths of Burrillville: An Investigation of John Wilkes Booth's Alleged Wife and Daughter 1991 Heritage Books ISBN: 1556134797
Kathleen KNIBB - 'An Epitaph for a Bygone Manchester' self published 1993 and 'Manchester a Phoenix from the Ashes' 1997 ISBN 0 9531967 0 4 Click to see an item on contents from the 'Epitaph'.
Michael A KNIBB - English Professor, author of many 'religious' books and texts, solely and with others (eg The Qumran Community - re Dead Sea Scrolls, The Ethiopic Version of the Old Testament etc) - see them listed on a web search.
Shirley M KNIBB - 'Smaller pets, amphibians, reptiles and mammals' 1982
Allyson KNIBBS - American Professor of Music, Dr. Knibbs ( http://www.doctorhakeem.com/hakeemface.html ) is a self-published author of historical essays, poems, and a play. His play, The Reservoir, had its first public reading at BAAD! on February 25, 2001. He has written a short book, Twelve Differences Between the Bible and the Qur'an, briefly comparing the Bible and the Qur'an.
Sir George Handley KNIBBS 'Voices of the North, and, Echoes of Hellas' London : Alston Rivers, 1913. - a volume of verse - translations
Sir George Handley KNIBBS 'The Shadow of the World's Future' or 'The Earth's Population Possibilities & the consequences of the present rate of increase of the Earth's Inhabitants' 1928 Ernest Benn Limited
Sons of Sir George:
Norman Victor Sydney KNIBBS wrote the Industrial Uses of Bauxite 1928 and
Stanley George Curthoys KNIBBS wrote 'The Savage Solomons 1929 and "Jock of the Islands"'.
John KNIBBS - 'The Golden Century' - 2002 John Knibbs Publications - Firearms,Shotguns & Airweapons that have been produced by BSA for the commercial market for around the last 100 years First Edition edition (1986)
ASIN: B00116Z85E
Paul KNIBBS 'Wixley Wood' - Lewes : Book Guild, 1998 ISBN1857762088
Steve KNIBBS'Life in the Smoke' 2007 Jeremy Mills Publishing, United Kingdom, (ISBN: 9781905217359)
- A collection of humorous true stories about some of the strange people and sticky situations encountered as part of a fireman's daily lot. The author's long experience as a firefighter lends him unique insight into the more bizarre side of life with the emergency services.
NB: Leslie KNIBBS features in "RAF wings over Florida: Memories of World War II British Air Cadets", by Jesse Willard ('Will') Largent (Aug 2000) Purdue University Press; illustrated edition edition ISBN-10: 1557532036
Charles Alexander John NIBBS - 'From the Bristol Channel to the Seven Seas' - a hundred year's work of seaman 1835-45
Syson NIBBS - 'The Town on Fire!' A religious allegory Bath 1862
Colin W NIBBS - 'Accountancy in Bookkeeping' 1983 Woodhead Faulkner Ltd ISBN 0-85941-193-1 & 3
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