James KNIGHT was born in 1790. It is possible that James' parents were Samuel KNIGHT and Thomasine BARNETT and that he was christened in 1790 in Bucknall cum Bagnall, Staffs. Unfortunately as there was several James KNIGHT's in Staffs at the time we can't be sure. (For example, a different James KNIGHT died aged 60 in Burslem in 1850, i.e. another James KNIGHT born in c.1790.) A strong pointer would be if we can confirm that Thomasine (and also John and Esther) were the children of James and Mary KNIGHT. Then the names of their first seven children would be exactly the names of Samuel and Thomasine KNIGHT's seven children. For now the relationship has been left in.
He married Mary DEAKIN in 1815 in Stoke Upon Trent.
Known children of James and Mary KNIGHT include John (1816), Samuel (1820), Mary (1823), James (1828/9), William (1832), Hannah (1834/5) and George (1839) who appeared as children to James and Mary KNIGHT in the 1841 and 1851 censuses. Mary's son, Henry John PARKS, also appears in the 1851 census as a grandson. Hannah is still with them in the 1861 census.
James and Mary probably had other children but, as there were at least three other couples in Stafford called James and Mary KNIGHT having children during this period, establishing parentage is difficult (e.g. James KNIGHT and MARY WALTON who christened a daughter, Martha, in Hanley). Other possible children of Mary DEAKIN include: John 1816 (there were two baptisms in 1816), James 1819, Thomasine 1826, and Esther 1827. On balance I believe these are all their children as the christening dates fit the gaps between their marriage and their other confirmed children. I suspect that James, Thomasine and Esther all died young. John may have moved away or married before the 1841 census.
There is no christening record for Mary Ann nor for George, however, crucially, George's civil birth certificate confirms Mary DEAKIN as his mother.
James was a collier in 1820 and later probably drove a steam engine at a coal mine or similar. In 1841 and 1843 he was an 'engineer' and 1851 he was a collier/coal miner. In 1861 he was described as an 'incapacitated engine tender' while on his death certificate he was listed as an engine driver.
They were living in Swan Street, Hanley in 1839 and 1841, and in 1844, their grandson Henry John PARKS was also born in Swan Street. By 1851 they had moved to Union Street, Hanley. In 1861 they were in Abbey Street where they both died.
James KNIGHT died in March 1863 aged 73 of bronchitis although he had been incapacitated for some years before. His wife Mary died the following year.
