BADSEY – DEATH OF MR CHARLES KNIGHT
By the death of Mr Charles Knight, aged 83 years, at 19 Synehurst, on Friday, Badsey has lost one of its oldest inhabitants. He lived all his life in Badsey with the exception of four years which he spent at Worcester, and was very active up to about the last month of his life. His wife predeceased him just over five years ago. Mr Knight was a bell ringer for over 50 years and foreman of the Band for 27 years.
The funeral took place at Badsey on Tuesday when the Vicar (Canon W C Allsebrook) officiated. Mourners present were Messrs William, Charles and Richard Knight (sons), Mrs G Cole, Mrs C Haines, Mrs J Andrews and Mrs J Ford (daughters), Messrs G Cole, C Haines and J Ford (sons-in-law), Mrs W Knight and Mrs R Knight (daughters-in-law), Mr & Mrs W Sparrow (brother-in-law and sister-in-law), Mrs W Capener, Mrs Garrett and Mrs Young (granddaughters, Miss M Hutching and Mrs Baker (nieces). The bearers were Messrs W C Knight, W Capener, P Knight, C Haines and L Banks (grandsons) and Mr J Hartwell.
A Quarter Peal of Grandsire Triples with the bells half muffled was rung in 53 minutes by his fellow ringers and members of the Worcestershire Ringers’ Association, of which he was a member for many years. Those taking part were: R Geden, treble (first quarter peal), J Hemming 2, W Sparrow 3, A Taylor 4, J Johnson 5 (conductor), A Read 6, G A King 7 and G Moisey tenor. This was followed by another short touch of Triples in which Mr C A Binyon took part.
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On the same day, 28th October 1944, there was also an article in The Evesham Standard:
BADSEY, MR C KNIGHT DIES
An old Badsey resident, Mr Charles Knight, passed away at his home, 19 Synehurst, Badsey, on October 20 at the age of 83, after a short illness. Born in Badsey, he was educated at Badsey School, leaving at the age of nine to start work as a ploughboy. He later became a market gardener, and at the age of twenty he married Miss Mary Collett of Badsey, taking part in the peal ring on the bells on his wedding day. Mr Knight was a bell-ringer at Badsey Church for 65 years. He had lived in Badsey all his life, except for a short period during the Great War, when he lived at Worcester. He is survived by three sons, four daughters, 18 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren. The funeral service was at St James’ Parish Church, Badsey, on Tuesday.
With thanks to Charles’ great-grandson, Tom Ford, for providing us with a copy of the Evesham Journal newspaper cutting; the Evesham Standard article is from the British Newspaper Archive.