| Photographer | Charles Knight | |
| Active Period | 1875 - 1898 | |
| Lifespan | Born: 1853 Ryde, IOW | Died: |
| Studio Addresses | 6 Royal Arcade, Ryde (c1875 - c1880) 26 Union Street, Ryde (c1881) 108 High Street, Newport (c1882 - c1898) |
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| Associates | Mary A Fry (sister-in-law, assistant) | |
| Trade History | 1871 Census Charles Knight, photographic artist pupil, 8/9 The Arcade, Ryde 1875 Kelly's Directory of IOW 1881 Census 1891 Census 1898 Kelly's Directory of IOW (pages 169 & 473) 1901 Census |
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| Awards | ||
| Photographic Evidence Found |
1887 - photo of Queen Victoria - see below 1890 - photo of Alfred Urry - see below c1895 - estimated date of photo - see below |
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| Examples of Photographs, Trade Cards, Adverts, etc |
 An advertisement from the IW County Press dated 4 January 1894
My thanks to Ann Barrett for locating these advertisements.
My thanks to Ray Powell (near Leeds) for the above photo. Ray came across this photo whilst clearing his father's house but has no idea who the subject could be. He also found other photos of the same person taken at studios in Brighton. If you recognise the subject, please contact Ray at rgpowell@ntlworld.com
My thanks to Anthony Greenman (Ryde, IOW) for the above photo.
My thanks to Janet Bush (Canada) for the above photo. The above photo is of Alfred Urry, one of Janet's ancestors, and is dated on the reverse Nov 1890. |
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| Family History | Charles Knight was born in 1853 at Ryde, the son
of Henry Knight from Worthing, Sussex, and his wife Harriet (nee King)
from Dorset. His parents had apparently moved to the Island in the late
1840's, since their first child born on the Island was Mary Jane in
1851. Births of older siblings indicate the family's move was via Hertford
and London; viz Harriet in Worthing c1845, Emily in Hertford c1846 and
Henry in London c1848. At least four more children were born on the Island
after Charles.
At the time of the 1861 census, the family was living at 8/9 The Arcade, off Union Street, Ryde, where his parents had a shop; his father being an importer of Italian statues. Charles was then recorded as being a 7-year old scholar. Also living with the family in 1861 was Henry senior's unmarried older sister Eliza from Worthing and a house servant Elizabeth Phillips from Sandown. Charles must have started his photographic career at an early age, because the 1871 census records him as being a 17 year old photographic artist pupil. He was still living then with his parents and siblings at 8/9 The Arcade. There were several eminent photographers in the area to whom Charles could have been apprenticed. Charles married Constance Fry in 1879 and they had their first child, Lily, in 1880. Constance was born in 1860 at Ryde, a daughter of Robert & Mary (nee Williams). In the 1881 census Charles is recorded as being a 27 year old photographer, living at 26 Union Street, Ryde along with his wife and 9 month old baby Lily - both born in Ryde. Also living with the family in 1881 was Mary A Fry, Constance's unmarried elder sister who was recorded as a photographer's assistant. By the time of the 1891 census, the family had moved to 108 High Street, Newport, where 37 year old Charles had set up a photographic studio. The family had also increased in size by then with three more children - Daisy (9), Charles (4) and Marguerite (3) - accompanying his wife Constance (30) and first daughter Lily (10). Sadly, the family had suffered the loss of a fifth child, Lawrence, who died at the age of 7 months in 1889. The fact that Daisy had been born in Ryde and the latter children in Newport, indicates that the family moved from Ryde to Newport c1881-86. Also living with the family in 1891 was Martha Browning, an 18 year old general servant from Newport. By the time of the 1901 census, the family had moved to the mainland, where Charles had set up a photographic studio in Aldershot, Hants. |
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| Further Notes | "THE REV. E. F. RIDGEWAY - We are pleased to be enabled to state
that the health of this highly-esteemed gentleman has been so far restored as to allow him to take
part in the service of the church. During the week we have had the pleasure of viewing a
striking likeness of this popular preacher, executed by Mr. Knight, of the Royal Victoria Arcade,
whose ability as a photographer has now become thoroughly recognised; and we have no doubt the
photograph will be extensively circulated among Mr. Ridgeway's admirers, who are here very numerous." - IW Observer, 10 October 1874
"DERBY DAY PHOTOGRAPHS - Mr Charles Knight has succeeded
in taking some excellent photographs of the Epsom race course on Derby Day. One of the
pictures clearly depicts the finish of the Caterham Stakes, and another the crowd which
throngs the course and enclosures immediately after a race. A deluge of rain spoiled the
Derby finish." "AN
INTERESTING PHOTOGRAPHIC GROUP - commemorating the devoted and efficient services of the
medical profession and trained nurses during the recent epidemic is exhibited in the
window of Mr C Knight. The portrait of the Mayor worthily occupies the central position in
the picture, with those of three doctors on either side - Drs Foster, JP (borough medical
officer of health), Groves, JP, and Coombs, and Drs Hutton Castle, Barr, and Thompson. In
addition there are photographs of some 40 trained nurses." NEWPORT ... "Everyone should see the set of very fine Horse Photographs of the 3
horse spill, at Ashey Steeple Chases, taken by Charles Knight, Royal Photographer,
Newport. Good photographs also of every race." My thanks to Ann Barrett for locating the above articles. |
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