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The original beer house was established in about 1861/62 by Thomas Knight from 2 cottages purchased from the local council. He owned the property for about 20 years, and in 1881, records show Thomas, who was born in Kenardington, was 68 at the time of the census, and was married to Sarah (maiden name not yet traced) 3 years his elder and fared from Warehorne. It also records that he had 2 sons living at the Wonder; Charles and William ages 30 and 20 respectively, both from Kenardington.
Also on the census, there is an Elizabeth Knight a Woodchurch girl, who’s relationship to the head of the household was as a ‘sons wife’. It is presumed that she was the wife of William as she was 24, with 2 children of her own, Thomas aged 6 and James aged 4; also William was listed as married, and Charles Unmarried.
This in itself is a bit strange and raises questions, because on the census, Thomas and James are stated with the relationship of ‘Son to the head of the household’ But cannot possibly be the sons of Sarah as she would have given birth to Thomas junior at the age of 65 James at 67; a bit unlikely, this leaves 2 options, They we the offspring of Thomas the elder and Elizabeth, or of William and Elizabeth; if it were the latter, why were they not listed as Grandchildren?
If the children were the offspring of William and Elizabeth, ages come into some question. Elizabeth was 24 in 1881, therefore she would have given birth to Thomas junior (aged 6 in 1881) at the age of 18 or thereabouts, under normal circumstances the first child normally arrives on the scene about a year after marriage this would make her 17 when and if she married; William her husband 4 years her junior would have been 13 at this time well below the age of consent to get married.
A this point one can only speculate as to what was going on, could William have got Elizabeth pregnant at the age of 14, and under the shame of Victorian England, been taken in by the Knight household. Thomas the elder would have given his name to the child, suppressing parentage questions maybe, and ditto with James, until William and Elizabeth were old enough to Marry.
Alternatively, could Elizabeth have been a young mistress to Thomas and became pregnant with his children as the census suggests, and William doing a noble deed by marrying her which must have been by special license given he was married at 20.
It is a mystery that maybe the parish records could throw more light upon, whatever the domestic arrangements, Thomas Knight the elder chose not to leave the beer house to either of his sons, but sold the property to one James Bourne later in the year and presumably retired on the proceeds. Either way it’s another ‘Wonder’ |
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Household:
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