Extract from Oxfordshire Yeomanry by David Eddershaw

Surely the longest continual service must belong to William Knibbs of Deddington, a sadler, who enrolled when the first troops were formed in 1798 and had achieved the rank of Troop Sergeant Major by the time of his death in 1853 at the age of 75. Several other members of the Knibbs family were also long-serving members. As I mentioned over the phone, there are various references in the Risley diaries (lodged at the Bodleian Library, Oxford) of "Knibbs the saddler" - I have noted one in 1845 of "W. Knibbs". Geoffrey Stephenson is compiling a book on Risley and has sent me the following note on an entry in the 1851 census: KNIBBS - Jane HD u 80 Pastry cook OXF Deddington Sarah CI u 69 Laundress OXF Steeple Barton (This entry is next to that for Risley in Deddington House, and appears to refer to a cottage in the grounds and north of Deddington House - no longer there and may have been incorporated in the outbuildings in the stable yard). Geoffrey says - "W. Cotton Risley was obliged, under the will of Samuel Churchill the elder, who died in 1808, to permit Jane, an old Churchill servant, occupancy during her life-time - a long one!"

In the 1851 census William Knibbs, saddler, and his wife Mary are living in the house to the south of The Crown & Tuns Inn in New Street - there is also another entry in Hopcrafts Yard (off New Street) of Edward Knibbs, Groom, His wife Sophia and their 4 daughters.

1875 - 1885 Records of the Exhibition Inn (subsequently became The Three Horseshoes and is now in private ownership as Rothbury House show that Mrs Ann Knibbs, former married name Baylis, had the licence and her daughter Jemima Baylis from her first marriage, held the licence after heruntil 1891.

There is mention of Wm. Knibbs as tenant in 1787 of "a messuage in Castle End and some odd ridges of land thereto belonging - this is in a survey in the Cartwright family papers and which belonged to Christ Church Freehold.

 

By Rob Forsyth Editor. More about the Knibbs family can be found by following a link to the family website HERE