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History of Sir James Knott
James Knott was born in 1855, the eldest son of Matthew Knott, who owned a corner grocery shop in Howdon, Tyneside. Later that year the family moved to North Shields as his father had expanded into beer, wine and spirit retailing.
In 1869, at the age of 14, James left school to start work as a shipping clerk at a Newcastle Quayside shipping office. Six years later at the age of 20 he launched his own business as a shipbroker. At 23, with money borrowed from a friend, he acquired his first ship - the old collier brig Pearl of Scarborough.
In 1878, the same year that he became a ship owner, James married Margaret Annie Garbutt and they had three sons, Thomas Garbutt, James Leadbitter and Henry Basil.
In 1881 James saw the advantages of steam and he bought the Swan Hunter built 'Saxon Prince' and founded the Prince Line which became one of the world's biggest shipping lines with over 40 ships. His large fleet of steamers with slate grey hulls and black and red funnels with white Prince of Wales feathers became familiar the world over.
The Prince Line gave James wealth beyond all his dreams, and over the years James and his wife became well-known on Tyneside for their philanthropy. He was a man of many parts; he owned coal mines, became a ship's master, studied law and was called to the Bar in 1889. In 1910, he served for a short time as MP for Sunderland.
James Knott was one of the merchant giants of the nineteenth century. The Prince Line Ltd was a major shipping company that was held in the highest regard by all who sailed in their ships and by passengers voyaging on the Round the World service. During this time the Knotts lived in various parts of the North East - Monk's Haven, Cullercoats; Manor House, Jesmond; Close House,Wylam.
He retired in 1916 after the tragic loss of two sons in the First World War and the Prince Line was sold to Furness Withy & Co. In the Birthday Honours list of 1917, he received a Baronetcy, the wording on his armorial bearing being 'Facta non Verba'. Sir James believed in 'action not words' - his generous gifts to charities in the North East being examples of this philosophy. In 1920 and in order that his charitable giving could continue after his death he provided funds for the James Knott Settlement. The focus of his charitable interest was to support charitable bodies and organisations mainly connected with the North East of England.
In 1924 Sir James and Lady Margaret left the North East and settled in Jersey where he formed an investment company, Samares Investments, to further his philanthropy. They lived at Samarés Manor in Jersey where they devoted much loving care and attention to the house, garden and farmyard. Lady Margaret died in 1928 and Sir James in 1934.
In 1931 St James and St Basil Church in Fenham was built to commemorate his two dead sons. In 1938 the Sir James Knott Trustees provided accommodation and financial support for the establishment of the Sir James Knott Youth Centre in North Shields and in 1938 the Sir James Knott Memorial Flats and Nursery School were built in North Shields with funds provided by the Trust.
In 1990, the Jersey Trustees decided to extend their charitable grant making activities and established a charitable trust based in Newcastle upon Tyne and with the same objectives. The new charitable trust makes grants to registered charities operating in, or targeting Northumberland, Tyne & Wear and Co Durham.
The eldest son of Sir James Knott, Thomas Garbutt Knott, survived WWI and in 1924 he bought Courtlands in Exmouth, Devon. He inherited his father's title and in 1936 he gave to the village of Heddon the Knott Memorial Hall in memory of his parents. He lived at Courtlands until his death in 1949. Although he had married Margaret Annie Anderson in 1925, there were no children from the marriage. After various legacies to members of his past and present staff, he left the residue of his estate to the Trust set up by his father, Samares Investments Limited. Website: www.courtlands.co.uk
For information about the Trust's connection with College Valley in Northumberland please visit www.college-valley.co.uk
Further Information
Website: http://www.heddon.co.uk
A History of the Knott Family by Joan R Duckett
A History of the YMCA in North Shields by Celia Bryce
Home Housing Association Limited: A History by Peter Malpass and Coral Jones
Pride of the Princes - History of The Prince Line by Norman L Middlemiss
Samares Manor A Personal Guide by Vincent Obbard
The Furness Legacy to the Hartlepools by Peter L Hogg, Printability Publishing Ltd Wolviston
Furness Withy 1891-1991 by David Burrell, World Ship Society