ANDREW KNOWLES & SONS
Researched and written by Lizzie
www.thewallworks.weebly.com
www.lizzieslocalhistory.weebly.com
www.thewallworks.weebly.com
www.lizzieslocalhistory.weebly.com
KNOWLES FAMILY HISTORY
The Knowles family tree can be traced with back up documentation to Robert Knowles born 1630 son of Richard and Anne Knowles of Quarlton.
Robert Knowles born 1709 was the grandson of Robert Knowles b 1630 and it was this Robert Knowles b 1630 who had started the coal pits in Eagley Bank and Sharples.
Andrew Knowles born 1735 along with his brother Robert Knowles born 1755 inherited the pits from their father Robert Knowles b 1709.
Robert Knowles born 1755 was the father of Andrew Knowles who was born in 1783 at Eagley Bank, Bolton. It was this Andrew Knowles that took his four sons into partnership with him.
Andrew Knowles b 1783 was also the great great grandfather to Sir Lees Knowles of Westwood, Pendlebury.
The four sons of Andrew Knowles were:-
Robert Knowles b 1804 – 1883
John Knowles b 1811 – 1852
Thomas Knowles 1807 – 1872 great grandfather to Sir Lees Knowles
James Knowles b 1812 – 1852 (Mayor of Bolton)
In 1883 the running of the company was joined by a third generation of the Knowles family including Sir Lees Knowles father John Knowles (who was the grandson of Andrew Knowles of Andrew Knowles & sons.)
John Knowles later controlled the company which by then was known as Andrew Knowles & Co Limited.
By the 19th century Andrew Knowles & Sons had almost 4,000 employees and was the largest coal company on the Manchester Coalfield.
Many of the Knowles family had military careers, which I am sure were a great influence upon Sir Lees Knowles. Other family members ran the collieries and cotton mills as well as being J.P’s, M.P’s. and even the Mayor of Bolton.
The ladies in the family tended to marry into other affluent families, such as the Pilkington’s, the Ashworth’s, Millington’s, Kay’s, Holt, Warburton, Hopkinson, and the Horrocks families. Many of these also had military careers, whilst others were businessmen.
There were a few of the ladies in the family who never married.
After the First World War there was a decline in coal mining. The Mining Industry Act of 1926 encouraged independent mining companies to merge together in order to survive the post war decline.
In 1929 Manchester Collieries was formed following the merging of these independent mining companies, this included the Knowles coal mines.
Coal mining was nationalized in 1949.
The Knowles family tree can be traced with back up documentation to Robert Knowles born 1630 son of Richard and Anne Knowles of Quarlton.
Robert Knowles born 1709 was the grandson of Robert Knowles b 1630 and it was this Robert Knowles b 1630 who had started the coal pits in Eagley Bank and Sharples.
Andrew Knowles born 1735 along with his brother Robert Knowles born 1755 inherited the pits from their father Robert Knowles b 1709.
Robert Knowles born 1755 was the father of Andrew Knowles who was born in 1783 at Eagley Bank, Bolton. It was this Andrew Knowles that took his four sons into partnership with him.
Andrew Knowles b 1783 was also the great great grandfather to Sir Lees Knowles of Westwood, Pendlebury.
The four sons of Andrew Knowles were:-
Robert Knowles b 1804 – 1883
John Knowles b 1811 – 1852
Thomas Knowles 1807 – 1872 great grandfather to Sir Lees Knowles
James Knowles b 1812 – 1852 (Mayor of Bolton)
In 1883 the running of the company was joined by a third generation of the Knowles family including Sir Lees Knowles father John Knowles (who was the grandson of Andrew Knowles of Andrew Knowles & sons.)
John Knowles later controlled the company which by then was known as Andrew Knowles & Co Limited.
By the 19th century Andrew Knowles & Sons had almost 4,000 employees and was the largest coal company on the Manchester Coalfield.
Many of the Knowles family had military careers, which I am sure were a great influence upon Sir Lees Knowles. Other family members ran the collieries and cotton mills as well as being J.P’s, M.P’s. and even the Mayor of Bolton.
The ladies in the family tended to marry into other affluent families, such as the Pilkington’s, the Ashworth’s, Millington’s, Kay’s, Holt, Warburton, Hopkinson, and the Horrocks families. Many of these also had military careers, whilst others were businessmen.
There were a few of the ladies in the family who never married.
After the First World War there was a decline in coal mining. The Mining Industry Act of 1926 encouraged independent mining companies to merge together in order to survive the post war decline.
In 1929 Manchester Collieries was formed following the merging of these independent mining companies, this included the Knowles coal mines.
Coal mining was nationalized in 1949.
Andrew Knowles & sons were known to be harsh employers.
see Miners Riots in Pendlebury
They owned 5 pits in the local area of Swinton, Pendlebury, Pendleton and Clifton, and others in Little Lever and Bolton.
see Miners Riots in Pendlebury
They owned 5 pits in the local area of Swinton, Pendlebury, Pendleton and Clifton, and others in Little Lever and Bolton.
PENDLETON COLLIERY 1837 – 1939
Pendleton Pit Whit Lane, 1877
Agecroft Colliery 1844 – 1932 reopened in 1960 – 1991
The Wheatsheaf Pendlebury, 1846 – 1941
The Wheatsheaf had a railway connected to Clifton Hall Colliery.
Clifton Moss Colliery 1840 – 1922
All coal was moved by horse and cart. There was no connection railway.
Clifton Hall Colliery 1838 – 1929
Coal was transported by railway.
One of the worst disasters known in Lancashire happened at Clifton Hall Colliery on 18th June 1885.
The colliery was on Lumns Lane (roughly where the tip is now).
178 men and boys (some as young as 13) were killed in an explosion at the pit.
For more information on the Clifton Hall Colliery Explosion click this link
The colliery was on Lumns Lane (roughly where the tip is now).
178 men and boys (some as young as 13) were killed in an explosion at the pit.
For more information on the Clifton Hall Colliery Explosion click this link
Researched and written by Lizzie
do not reproduce without permission
images credited to Salford Local History Library unless otherwise stated.
contact wallwork.history
www.thewallworks.weebly.com
www.lizzieslocalhistory.weebly.com
www.lizzieleekartgallery.com
PLEASE NOTE:- If you wish to share any images/research from my website either contact me or post an acknowledgement link to my website. I am all in favour of preserving and sharing our local history. It is therefore not my intention to infringe anyone else's copyrights.
do not reproduce without permission
images credited to Salford Local History Library unless otherwise stated.
contact wallwork.history
www.thewallworks.weebly.com
www.lizzieslocalhistory.weebly.com
www.lizzieleekartgallery.com
PLEASE NOTE:- If you wish to share any images/research from my website either contact me or post an acknowledgement link to my website. I am all in favour of preserving and sharing our local history. It is therefore not my intention to infringe anyone else's copyrights.