December 30, 2019|
Knowle War Memorial
At the beginning of the last century, Knowle Hospital was home to about 1000 patients and staff and was a self contained ‘village’ with gardeners, carpenters, upholsterers, blacksmiths as well as those who undertook various duties caring for the hospital patients.
As with many villages, members of the staff and estate residents answered the call of the country. By the end of August 1916, over seventy staff had joined the military and naval service: some did not return.
A memorial to honour the employees and residents on the Knowle estate who lost their lives in the war was unveiled on 17th January 1920 by Major-General Sir J.H. Davidson, K.C.M.G., C.B., D.S.O., and M.P. for Fareham.
The monument is of a polished Balmoral red granite standing on a York stone obelisk, with a moulded York stone cap and was mostly subscribed for by the staff of the hospital.
The following are the names of those who fell during the First World War:
| J.Andrews | Gunner R.G.A. | W.A.Molineux | Pte. K.R.R.C. | |
| H. Bedford | Gunner R.M.A. | J.New | Sergt. Hants. Regt. | |
| W.F.Crumplin | Pte. Hants. Regt. | E.E.Pharoah | Gunner R.G.A. | |
| E.W.C.Day | Pte. R.M.L.I. | C.W.Waring | Pte. Ox & Bucks L.I. | |
| J.Dobson | Sergt. Hants Regt. | A.C.Webb | Pte. Sussex Regt. | |
| G.C.Edney | L/Cp, Sherwood Foresters | G.R.Winsor | Pt. Dorset Regt. | |
| N.H.Edney | Pte. Inniskilling Fusiliers | T.W.Britton | Pte. Dragoon Guards |
Two further names were added after the Second World War.
| R.W. Clarke | Cpl. R.E. | H.W.C. Page | Ldg. Sto. R.N. |
Following the closure of Knowle hospital in 1995, the memorial was moved to the churchyard of St Nicholas in nearby Wickham.
This move was a temporary arrangement to protect the memorial during the development of Knowle Village.
On 7th March 2007 the memorial was moved back to Knowle where it now sits in the garden next to the Chapel.
Jane Painter
