The Early Years	Marriage to Lady Margaret	Building the Business	The Barrister
Anecdotes	Political Ambitions	Sale of the Business	The Three Sons
The Memorials	The Motor Yacht	In Conclusion

Now to go back to the beginning of the story, exactly ten years before the famous Blaydon races, that is on Wednesday 6th June 1852, early closing day, James Knotts parents were married at Saint Andrew's Church, Newcastle. Matthew Knott was a grocer in Howdon and lived very near where the pedestrian tunnel entrance is today and his bride Margaret Dobson, a butchers daughter, was an assistant cook for a Newcastle merchant who lived near where the Tyne theatre is on Westgate Road.

James was born in January 1855 and shortly after this his father changed his job and moved from Howdon to North Shields and became a Customs Officer. In 1864 after some eight years in the Customs service he became an innkeeper taking the Old Inn in Nile Street, North Shields. Within a few years he changed the business from an inn into a wine and spirit merchant.

James attended the Scotch school in Howard Street, North Shields and when he left school he went to work on Newcastle Quayside in the offices of Borries, Craig and Company, who were merchants and shipbrokers, mainly dealing in timber. This company were still trading in recent years (the late nineteen sixties or early seventies). James would learn the business of shipbroking, import and export etc.., a world in the 1870's as exciting to a keen young mind as the Internet, Cyber Space and all the digital information technology is to today's young.

James married Margaret Annie Garbutt in 1878, she was the daughter of the late Thomas Garbutt, a Wesleyan minister and it was suggested that James became involved with the Wesleyan church as a sort of reaction to his fathers business "the demon drink". I am inclined to think that James became a Sunday school teacher etc because he took a fancy to a pretty Sunday school teacher who he subsequently married. The newly weds lived in a terraced house in North Shields and the first two boys were born there. Thomas Garbutt while they lived at number six and James Leadbitter after they moved to number one. It was an interesting place, 130 years ago, there also lived in this same cul-de-sac, James's uncle, his mother in-law, the Russian consul, the Wesleyan minister and the minister of the Lutheran church.

About twelve to eighteen months before he got married he went into partnership with a Newcastle shipbroker, James Thompson & Co, whose office was in Burn Bank, this was one of the chares leading back from the river. It was where the new Crown court is today.

The brig PEARL was the first ship that James Knott was the managing owner of. Not a lot is known about the PEARL other than she was a typical collier brig and at 45 years old somewhat near the end of her working life when she came under the control of James. I suspect that the Knotts financial contribution to this vessel was made by his father.

His early ventures into shipowning was not without its drawbacks. His next acquisition, the 32 year old brig RIVAL was acquired on 29th November 1879 and was wrecked a month later on 28th December 1879. The next one lasted about six months and was 35 years old. However he steadily made progress and was able to order a new cargo steamship from C. S. Swan and Hunter at Wallsend, this ship launched on 3rd March 1881 was named SAXON PRINCE. This was the start of the Prince Line.

Also in 1881 Matthew Knott, James's brother, started his training to become a solicitor. He qualified in 1886 and the year before, at age of 30, James was admitted to Grays Inn and was called to the bar in 1889. I believe that this is about the normal time taken to train a barrister. When I was going through the admission register for Grays Inn, looking to see who were entering this branch of the law, there were no other shipowners but there were several journalists. The most interesting entry was the Duke of Connaught, third son of Queen Victoria, who was called to the Bar the same day that he was admitted to Grays Inn, a case of rank carrying privilege. However I think that for James Knott to become a barrister was quite an accomplishment for a busy shipowner whose fleet expanded over the same period from 23 ships to over 30 ships.

The Prince Line ships traded to all parts of the world, for example:-

An 1890 potted biography of James Knott describes him as a man of energy, ability and sound business habits and part of the secret of his success is his careful choice of officers and the strict discipline which prevails at head office. All his ship masters sailed with the grim warning in front of them "All accidents are the result of carelessness" whether his legend was a fixture in the wheel house or a verbal instruction from the boss, I have not been able to confirm but I suspect it was the latter. A bonus was given to masters who run their vessels successfully for twelve months, but on the otherhand, in case of collision or stranding all the officers are compelled to resign. The crew members of his ships with long service received a bonus payment of five shillings per month, for this payment they had to wear the company's cap with the ships name on a ribbon and a jersey with Prince Line in white letters on the chest.

Also about 1890 the family moved from the house in Alma Place in North Shields to The Manor House in Jesmond, where they had nine servants. The house is described as a treasure house of old china, silver, engravings and the like [whether it belonged to the Knotts or not it did not say]

Another house they aquired about this time was an attractive terraced house in Cullercoats called the "Monks Haven". The Knotts were now in the two home league and this was probably more of a weekend "cottage". It is now a Methodist Holiday hotel. A fine copper relief in the entrance hall of a Cullercoats fishwife with her creel on her back is a reminder that James and his wife had a soft spot for Cullercoats fisherfolk. When Lady Knott died one of the newspaper columnists said that he fondly remembers the last occasion on which he met her was at Close House. It was on the lawn, she was entertaining all the old fisher women of Cullercoats and was sitting amongst them as they sang "Tynemouth Abbey".

In the days when most people ate a proper lunch the Cullercoats fishwives used the train to get to Newcastle before lunch to sell their fish. When the new electric train service between the coast and Newcastle started around 1903, the fishwives were compelled to use a special train. They then had a problem if their husbands boat was late in due to the weather for example they missed their special train and the chance of selling their fish in Newcastle. James Knott made successful representation to the North Eastern Railway Company which allowed them to travel in the guards van of the electric train with their fresh fish.

I have only come across two anecdotes concerning James Knott. The first one is connected with Cullercoats Borough Surveyor who was asked to call at the Prince Line offices in Newcastle to discuss a proposal that James Knott had for a road improvement which would have made it possible for Monks Haven to have a bigger front garden. The borough surveyor said that he could not agree to this plan at all, so that the meeting was terminated. As he was leaving the office he paused to look at a chart upon which the whereabouts of each Prince Line ship was indicated. James Knott asked him what he was looking for, he replied that he was interested in a particular ship on which his brother in law was chief engineer. "You mean he was" said James and promptly arranged for his chief engineer to be paid off abroad somewhere.

The other story concerns the wooden dolly which was on the fish quay, the first three dollies were redundant figureheads salvaged off sailing vessels. The first one was erected to stop carts being left in the narrow lane causing a traffic jam of sorts. These dollies disappeared because seamen and fishermen cut pieces off them as good luck talisman. In 1902 it was decided that this dolly would be specially carved by Miss Spence, whose father wanted James Knott to perform the unveiling ceremony. When this was announced at a meeting in the Town Hall, North Shields a murmur of disapproval was heard all over the hall as at that time James Knott was not classed as a local man. The unveiling ceremony was carried out by a councillor Hogg.

At about this time James Knott came to live at Close House and he had political ambitions. He was a strong supporter of Tariff Reform which was opposed to Free Trade and became a major issue at the both the 1906 and January 1910 elections. He was unsuccessful in the 1906 Tyneside election, however in the 1910 contest he was elected to represent Sunderland. It is claimed the election in Sunderland was won due to the eloquence of James Knotts running mate, Samuel Storey. However James must have made a substantial contribution to which way some people voted as he had three ships built at the Wear in 1910, a period when there was a slump in the shipbuilding industry. There was another election called in December 1910 and both candidates for Sunderland stood down on the grounds of ill health.

James Knott was president of the Institute of Marine Engineers, in 1908, a great honour for a ship owner. He was also the neighbour of Sir Charles Parsons, who lived at Holeyn Hall. About this time Parsons was looking into improving his marine steam turbine, made famous in his yacht TURBINA. Parsons wanted to increase the efficiency and thereby sell them to shipowners such as James Knott, shipowners were a conservative lot as a rule. To help his neighbour Knott sold the EASTERN PRINCE of 1887 to Parsons, who had all its machinery overhauled, and then sent it on a fully loaded voyage to get all the data necessary for the next phase, which was to remove all this machinery and install Parsons new geared turbine machinery, and then to make another loaded voyage to get the comparable data to prove the increase in efficiency. The new arrangement was a success but James Knott did not use it in any of his ships.

In 1916 the business was sold as a going concern for £3,000,000, comprising a fleet of 37 modern steamships. The purchasers Furness, Withy found that their new acquisition was to compliment their existing business.

In the birthday honours of 1917 James Knott was created a baronet and he took the very practical motto Deeds not Words.

James Knotts life is in two parts. This is the next half.

This is probably a good place to tell you what I know of the sons, starting with the youngest, who was the first casualty of the war. Henry Basil was born 5th of February 1891 in Jesmond when the family were living in the Manor House. He was educated at Eton but before that he was probably educated at home, as there was a tutor on the staff at the Manor House. Britain declared war on Germany on 4th of August 1914 and by the 10th of September Basil is a second lieutenant in the 4th Battalion of the Northumberland Fusiliers and two months later, just before the Battalion went to France, he was promoted to captain. They crossed the Channel on the 15th of July 1915 and on the 7th of September he died from wounds. So in about ten months he had volunteered, is promoted up to the rank of captain and dies of wounds received in action. His obituary tells us that he was a most popular and capable officer and a clever caricaturist. In 1914 he had been made a partner in his fathers shipping company and the company name had just been re-styled, James Knott, Sons and Co. Ltd.

The second son, James Leadbitter, was born on the 2nd of December 1882, when the family lived in Frank Place, North Shields, he was also educated at Eton. He is described as widely traveled, which would have been part of his training to find out how the Prince Line business was conducted abroad, in his case mainly in the USA. Also he is credited with inheriting a great commercial ability and had aspirations to enter politics. When he was 24 his father made him a partner in the company which was restyled James Knott and Son. The DSO was awarded in the birthday honours of the 3rd of June 1916 for military service.

Major James Leadbitter Knott, as second in command of his battalion, would have a greater insight about the proposed Somme offensive than the ordinary infantryman. He wrote a very moving and interesting letter to his parents, marked "only to sent in the event of my death". When I read it I marvel at how he was able to put his thoughts together in such a manner before this major battle as among other things there had been a five day artillery bombardment, which I would have found impeded the concentration.

James Leadbitter must have had a strong Christian faith, as he says - "this letter is not a message from the grave -I know that I will be with you when you are reading this." "I hope and desire above all things that you will not unduly grieve."

The most interesting part of this letter from a son to his parents at such a tragic time in their lives is I think the following - "My medals are yours, but I would like them destroyed when you both join me - My clothes, furniture and motor-car must be immediately disposed of, everything which reminds you of my death must be removed - this is my urgent desire and wish."

Thomas Garbutt, the eldest, is the most interesting of the sons, however I would like to know a lot more about him. Born on the 14th of July 1879, he did not join his father in the family business. He is described as - in his youth he was of a roving disposition and had a great love of adventure, which he found in the United States and the Dominions. He served in the Boer war and was presumeably working in New Zealand when war was declared in 1914 and joined the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. He was reported missing, presumed dead at Gallipoli, but after the war he returned to England and took up residence in Devon.

The first memorial arrangement I have come across is in May 1919, Sir James sends a cheque for £1,500 to pay for two places (one girl one boy) in memory of his late sons, at the Northern Counties Orphanage, Moor Edge, Newcastle.

These luxury flats were better known as the Princess Mary Maternity Hospital until 1993 but were built as the Moor Edge Orphanage. The children were evacuated in 1939 and it became an extension of the Maternity Hospital in Jubille Road, not far from Tyne Tees Television on City Road. After the war the hospital authorities did extensive rebuilding which removed the swimming baths that had been provided by Sir James, again in memory of his two sons. It was completed in 1929 and cost £5,000 (and only in use for 10 years). It is interesting to note that the institution next door has just had a pool built at a cost of £600,000.

The tower of St George's Memorial Church in Ypres is a memorial to his sons. They are also listed on memorials at Cullercoats, Wylam and here at Heddon. Also at Heddon you have the memorial park and in the lovely little church there is the family memorial, the war memorial made by the Ralph Hedley workshops and the nice stained glass window with St George representing England and St Joan representing our alley France.

Whilst in Heddon, in 1924 Sir James put up for sale what looks like about half of the village, when this sale was announced the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle asked him to donate the exposed stretch of the Roman Wall, which he did, and they made him an honorary member of the society.

Did Sir James have a grand plan for Heddon? - It seems strange that he should buy so much of the village. The church is another mystery, I am told (and I prefer evidence rather than hearsay) that Sir James wanted St Andrews rededicated to St James and St Basil and he could not get his way on this matter, hence the selling of the village.

In the 1930's St Andrews wanted the seating renewed as the existing seats were not in keeping with the dignity and antiquity of the church. They had the unique opportunity of buying a number of fine oak pews from the cathedral at Newcastle, which were available for sale, as they were removed to provide a space between the nave and the screen when the cathederal was restored. Lady Knott must have "got hold of" the appeal leaflet as she paid the £400 necessary in memory of Sir James.

In 1926 money was offered for the building of the St James and St Basil church at Fenham.

Going back to 1924 he had a lovely 200 foot motor yacht built on the Tees, among other things she had the facility to carry his car (probably a Rolls Royce) in her hold. The walls and ceilings of the smoke room are a small scale reproduction of the famous Bromley room in the South Kensington Museum. In the dining room the furniture is finely carved mahogany based on the latter half of the eighteenth century. The drawing room is of very delicate detail of the Adam period.

On the 8th of March 1929 Lady Margaret died on this yacht, when it was in Cannes, they had been on the Riviera since December. Sir James had the Kings physician attend her.

1924 was a busy year for Sir James as he acquired Samares Manor and estate, he then spent a lot of money on both the house and the gardens.

Shortly after his death in 1934 there were several memorial schemes which came to fruition and were for the benefit of the community. The first was in 1936 with the completion of 24 - 3 bedroom semi-detached Douglas Haig Memorial Homes in Knott Place, Benwell. They were paid for by the Knott Trust and were intended for ex-servicemen and included an ex Sergeant -Major as warden. These are in memory of the sons.

About 15 years ago the Haig Trust sold these particular homes to a housing trust who have carried out some upto date improvements. These Haig homes were quickly followed by the building of the Knott Memorial Hall, in memory of Sir James and at Tynemouth there was Knott Flats, 135 homes were built for people who are in overcrowded homes or who previously had no home at all (In 1947 the weekly rent was 7s 10d).

This was followed by the Sir James Knott Youth Centre in North Shields. The most recent was the naming of the Sir James Knott Room in the Literary and Philosophical Society library in Newcastle in the nineteen eighties.

In conclusion I have become very fond of James Knott during my researches and I admit that this is a dangerous thing for an historian to do, but I hope I have painted an interesting and fair picture for you of the Knotts. His most important contribution and memorial is the Sir James Knott Trust which provides grants for education and welfare of young and old. However I would like him to be also remembered as the most successful Tyneside ship owner.