Enoch Knifton was born at Horsley Park near Coxbench, Derbyshire, in June 1838. He was the fifth child and second son of William Knifton, a farmer, and the first child of his second wife Mary Ann (née Holmes). Enoch was baptised at St Clement’s Church, Horsley, on Sunday 24th June.

Aged 3 at the time of the 1841 census, Enoch was living at Horsley Park with his parents, step-brother Curtis, and step-sisters Eliza, Thirza and Anne.

A note in the Horsley Parish register written, Grammer Thompson, Curate, contains a ‘List of young persons from this parish Confirmed at Horsley Church July 17, 1855 being the first Confirmation held in it.’ There are 34 names listed including entry ‘23. Enoch Knifton, Horsley Park’, who would have been 17 years old. Also listed is his younger sister Harriet, and cousins Ann and Francis Knifton.

Before Enoch was 20 years old he lost both his parents. His mother Mary Ann died on 25th April 1854, aged 38, shortly after the birth of her daughter Sarah, and four years later, his father William died on 26th January 1858, aged 63.

In his Will written in July 1857, Enoch’s father provided for interest, earned on legacies payable in the future to his younger children, to be given to Enoch ‘to assist him in bringing up the young children’. Enoch had 4 younger siblings at the time of his father’s death: Harriet (aged 16), William (aged 10), Mary (aged 7), and Sarah (aged 3).

Three years later, at the time of the 1861 census, Enoch was farming 106 acres of land at Horsley Park. He was being helped by his 13 year old brother William (occupied as a ‘farmers brother’), and his sister Harriet (occupied as a ‘farmers sister’), while Mary and Sarah were still attending school. Enoch was employing a labourer and 2 boys. Visiting the house on census day was Enoch’s aunt Sarah Walker, who was perhaps helping to look after the younger children.

Enoch had succeeded his father as the tenant of Horsley Park Farm. A notice appeared in The Derby Mercury on the 10th and 31st May 1865 in which details were given for diverting a footpath and part of a carriage way, and the creation of a highway in the Horsley area. The notice describes in detail the routing of the new footpath and highway, and specifically mentions various fields ‘in the occupation of Enoch Knifton’.

On Wednesday 6th May 1863, Enoch married his cousin Mary Knifton at St Clement’s Church, Horsley. Their marriage was witnessed by Enoch’s cousin Francis Knifton, his brother-in-law Robert Walker (the husband of Enoch’s sister Eliza), Mary’s sister Ann Knifton, and Mary Slater (Mary’s aunt or cousin).

An entry in the diary of Thomas Needham, a local Horsley resident, records ‘Enoch Knifton and Mary Knifton was married at Horsley May 6th 1863. Ringers 10s.’

Born at Coxbench in 1832, Mary was the youngest child of Thomas Knifton and his wife Mary (née Slater). She was baptised at St Clement’s Church, Horsley, on 19th May 1832. Mary lived at Coxbench Lane with her father, a butcher, and was working as a housekeeper by 1851.

Enoch and Mary’s first child, ‘Annie’, was born at Horsley Park in the Summer of 1865. She was baptised on 2nd October 1865. She was followed by William, who was baptised on 5th November, Thomas Enoch, baptised on 20th September 1868, and George, baptised on 3rd April 1870. The children were all baptised at St Clement’s Church, Horsley.

Harrod’s 1870 Directory of Derbyshire | Horsley

Mary’s father died on 4th November 1870 and in his Will he bequeathed to Mary, her sister Ann and her brother Francis, equal shares in ‘the four dwelling houses, croft, gardens and all the appurtenances thereto belonging’ in Coxbench Lane, which in 1861 were occupied by Ann Whelton, Thomas Annable, her father Thomas, and her brother Thomas.

Enoch and William Burdill were appointed Constables for Horsley parish from 25th March 1871. Enoch, together with Thomas Richardson, were also appointed as Overseers of the poor of the parish. All three were reappointed the following year to the same positions, and Enoch was also appointed as the ‘Surveyor’ for Horsley. Aged 32, Enoch was also now farming 118 acres at Horsley Park, employing two men and one boy on the farm, and a general servant.

Enoch and Mary’s fifth child, Mary, was born in December 1871 and baptised at St Clement’s Church on Christmas Day. However, the child died 5 months later and was buried in the churchyard at Horsley on 3rd May 1872. Their son Thomas Enoch also died in 1872, aged 4, and was buried on 16th November 1872 at Horsley.

In March 1874, Enoch was again appointed as an Overseer for Horsley, together with Thomas Richardson. Both men were reappointed in 1876.

On 30th November 1874, Enoch attended the Ripley Petty Sessions where his cousin Thomas Knifton was accused of trespassing. A year younger than Enoch, Thomas was the son of Enoch’s deceased uncle Michael Knifton. Together with a man named Peter Redgate, Thomas was charged with trespassing in pursuit of game on land occupied by Enoch. Redgate did not appear, and Thomas ‘put in a rather late appearance.’ Enoch said that on 9th November he saw Thomas and Redgate with dogs in pursuit of rabbits. He said that he ‘ordered them away, and they used threatening language towards him.’ Redgate had previous convictions and was fined £2 and costs, or two months’ imprisonment, while Thomas was ordered to pay 10s. and costs.

On 4th February 1875, Enoch and his sister Mary witnessed the marriage of their brother William Knifton to Joyce Piper at St Clement’s Church, Horsley. Just under 2 years later on 3rd April 1877, Enoch also witnessed the marriage of his sister Sarah to George Bounds at St Peter’s Church, Derby.

Enoch and Mary's sixth and last child, Robert, was born on 30th April 1876 at Horsley Park, and baptised on 11th June at St Clement’s Church.

Enoch and Mary were still living at Horsley Park at the time of the 1881 census. Enoch was farming 111 acres and now employing 4 labourers and 2 boys, together with a domestic servant. Their children Annie and William were working on the farm, while George and Robert were attending school. Enoch was again appointed as an Overseer for Horsley in 1882, together with Thomas Richardson. Both men were reappointed in 1885.

On 18th October 1883, Edward Sacheverel Wilmot Sitwell, the son of R.S.W Sitwell who owned much of the land in Smalley, Horsley, Morley, and Horsley Woodhouse, attained the age of 21. Enoch was one of ten members of a committee of tenants formed to fund a gift and make a suitable presentation to their future landlord. At 12:00 on Thursday 18th October, 1883, the members of the committee went to Stainsby House where they presented a 23 inch tall silver épergne to Edward Sitwell, together with an address, written on paper headed by the Sitwell family crest, which included the names of the committee members who had presented the gift. Enoch and the rest of the party then had lunch at Stainsby House.

An entry in the diary of Thomas Needham of Horsley recorded that ‘Enoch Knifton came to Mr Holbrooks House & Farm March 25th 1884 Late Feilding [sic].’

Between 1881 and 1886, Enoch and Mary moved to nearby Horsley Grange in the village of Horsley, where Enoch continued to be a tenant farmer. His son George, now 21, farmed with him. Between 1883 and 1886, Mary’s sister Ann came to live with them, perhaps suffering from ill-health, where she died on 6th March 1886.

Horsley Grange, 2004
Beneath the weeping ash tree in the garden of the farm house ‘ENOCH KNIFTON’ used to be written in snowdrops.

In 1889, Enoch was again appointed as an Overseer for Horsley, together with James Foulke, and both men were reappointed in 1899. Enoch and Mary’s daughter Annie married William Henry Vallis at Horsley on 18th June 1889, and Enoch was one of the witnesses.

Enoch’s son William was farming Birchwood Farm at Holbrook. An 1891 directory, compiled a year or two earlier, includes Enoch as being at Coxbench and Horsley Grange, and William at Birchwood Farm. Coxbench was then partly in Horsley Parish and partly in Holbrook.

Extracts from Kelly’s 1891 Directory of Derbyshire

Mary died at Horsley Grange on 9th July 1891, aged 59, and was buried in Horsley Churchyard on 13th July 1891.

Mary had made made her Last Will and Testament only 2 days before her death. She appointed Enoch and her sons William and George as executors of her Will, and bequeathed all her real and personal estate in trust to Enoch. She directed that after his death, her daughter Ann should receive ‘my two undivided third parts...in all those five messuages or dwellinghouses with the croft and gardens thereto belonging situate and being in Coxbench Lane...devised to me by my late sister Ann’.

Mary also directed that after Enoch’s death ‘I give the sum of £1,000 Midland Railway Company 3% debenture Stock, and also £275 10% standing in my name in the books of the Derby Gas Light and Coke Company to be divided equally amongst my 3 sons William Knifton, George Knifton, and Robert Knifton’. She also wrote that ‘my real and personal property I give and bequeath the same after the death of my said Husband unto and equally between my said 4 children absolutely’. Mary’s estate was valued at £1,610 8s. 10d.

On 15th May 1893, Enoch attended the Heanor Petty Sessions where he charged Richard Calladine for causing damage to a fence.

Ripley and Heanor News, 19th May 1893

Enoch’s son George married Fanny Elizabeth Adams on 16th October 1893. The married couple lived with Enoch at Horsley Grange, where George continued farming with his father.

In March 1896, Enoch was elected to Horsley Parish Council, together with Reverend Arthur E. Waddy, Jesse Harrison, John Joseph Walthall, and Thomas Selby. He was reappointed in March 1901.

On Easter Tuesday, 14th April 1896, at Horsley, ‘a tea and entertainment was given in the schoolroom in aid of the school funds. A large company sat down to tables laden with good things, which had been liberally provided by the following ladies and gentlemen of the parish’: ¹ Enoch and George Knifton were listed as 2 of the 14 providers.

On 13th December 1900, a fatal accident occurred on Enoch’s farm. Walter Grace, a 13 year old boy from Coxbench, was employed by Enoch. At about 9 a.m., George set Walter up with a horse and cart to take some feed to young cows in one of the fields on the farm. George went across one field with Walter, and told him that when he had fed the cattle, to return to him. Walter seemed to have been gone for a long while, so George went looking for him. He found Walter at the entrance to a field underneath the overturned horse and cart. George called for help and his brother Robert and Enoch came, and with some other men they lifted the horse off Walter’s body, which was found lying buried in the sludge underneath. Walter was dead. It was thought that Walter had delivered the feed and was returning when a wheel of the cart collided with a gatepost and upset the horse and trap. An inquiry was held at the Fox and Hounds Inn, Coxbench, and the jury returned a verdict that Walter was ‘accidentally killed by a horse and trap falling upon him.’

Enoch, George, and 3 other men were elected parish councillors at the Horsley Parish meeting on 7th March 1904. This was a triennial election held in the schoolroom at Horsley.

Kelly’s 1912 Directory of Derbyshire | Horsley

Enoch made his Last Will and Testament on 4th September 1916: he died 3 weeks later on 26th September, aged 78, and was buried on 30th September in Horsley Churchyard, where his wife Mary had been interred 25 years earlier.

On the north facing side:
‘In Loving Memory of MARY, the beloved wife of ENOCH KNIFTON, Who died July 9, 1891, Aged 59 years. Also of ENOCH, beloved husband of the above (of Horsley Grange) Who died Sept. 26.1916, Aged 78 years. “Not my will, but thine be done.”’
On the south facing side:
‘In Loving Memory of GEORGE KNIFTON, of Horsley Grange, the dearly beloved husband of FANNY KNIFTON, At rest Nov. 14.1918, Aged 48 years. Peace, perfect peace. Also of the above, FANNY ELIZABETH KNIFTON, At rest April 24. 1955, Aged 85 years.’
On the east facing side:
‘IN Loving Memory of HILDA MARY, daughter of GEORGE & FANNY KNIFTON, Who died Nov^r. 3. 1899, aged 1 month.’

The memorial, in the shape of a tomb, was originally surrounded by metal railings.

In his Will, Enoch appointed his sons William and George as Executors and bequeathed ‘to George my half share of the farming stock and implements belonging to the farm at Horsley now in our joint occupation, the remaining half, including dairy utensils, having been given to him several years ago.’ He also wrote ‘I bequeath to my daughter Ann Vallis the furniture and effects in my bedroom and I bequeath to George Knifton the remainder of my furniture and effects. I give to Ann my freehold cottages at Horsley and my Midland Railway Debentures Stock’. These were the 5 ‘dwelling houses’ on Coxbench Lane which his wife Mary directed should be passed to Ann on Enoch’s death. It appears that after Mary’s death, Enoch purchased the remaining one-third ownership in them from the widow of his brother-in-law Francis Knifton, and the form of ownership was converted from copyhold to freehold.

Enoch also wrote ‘I have become joint tenant with my son Robert Knifton of the Moor Farm Chaddesden for the purpose of guaranteeing payment of the rent, but I declare that I have no interest in the farming stock and implements or furniture and effects about the farm house. I bequeath my real and personal property equally between my four children absolutely’. Probate was granted to William and George on 30th November 1916 for effects valued at £1,674 8s. 4d.

Enoch Knifton was my great-great-granduncle, and Mary Knifton was my great-great-grandaunt and first cousin four times.

¹ ‘District News - Horsley’, Derby Mercury, 15 April 1896