INDUSTRIES WIL SOVND. Sometimes the second, third, and fourth also have the future WILL. After the siege and surrender of the town of Reading to Cromwell's soldiers under the earl of Essex, in April 1643, there was doubt- less a serious stagnation of trade, and for four entire years ensuing, this hitherto flourishing foundry does not appear to have turned out a single bell. In 1647 two orders at any rate were received, one from Buckinghamshire, which bell is still extant, and the other was to replace Joseph Carter's ' lowd ' bell at St. Lawrence's, Reading, cast 1596-7, and broken in 1646. This latter order, ' Anno 1647-8,' was to ' Ellys Knight, and Francis Knight.' A Francis Knight married at St. Mary's, Reading, in 1630, and was buried there in 1671, and is probably the founder who ap- pears from the above entry to have been at that time in partnership with Ellis. There is no trace of any order to this foundry in 1648, and only one the next year (Tidmarsh, Berks). After that there was a partial re- vival of trade, there being six bells known from this foundry in 1650, and from one to four each subsequent year of that decade, except 1657. When Ellis Knight died is not known ; it seems likely that he was not in business after 1658, but that a younger namesake then appeared on the scene. In 1651 the tenor at Chinnor (Oxon.) has the initials H K, indi- cating apparently the first effort of the second Henry Knight, then presumably learning the business with Ellis and Francis. This Henry was probably the son of Edward Knight, and baptized at St. Lawrence's (Reading) in 1621. In the Churchwardens' Accounts of St. Giles's, Reading, for 1661, is a payment to ' Henry Knight belfounder,' so he seems then to have been the senior partner ; and many bells dated during the next twelve years state distinctly that HENRY KNIGHT MADE MEE, while about an equal number have a shield obviously indicating an Ellis Knight, but which is always accompanied by H.K. stamped on either side. In 1666 is dated the nuncupative will of Thomas Knight, who is therein described as ' late of Reading in the county of Berks Bell- founder.' He was evidently a junior member of the firm, who never rose to the honour of having his name recorded on a bell. He was probably the Thomas baptized at St. Mary's, Reading, in 1626-7, whose father, likewise Thomas, had been married at that church in 1620. Henry died towards the end of 1672 (prob- ably in January 1672-3). The inventory of his goods describes him as ' Henrie Knight Sen r late of Reading Belfounder.' After his death the partners were Ellis (probably No. II., as above suggested), and Henry's son Henry Knight III. who was baptized at St. Law- rence's, Reading, in 1649. It seems likely that Ellis retired after 1675, and Henry's business shrank to a small out- put. He died, or perhaps retired in disgust, about 1682, and Ellis once more took over the business ; but in 1684 he evidently handed over the management to Samuel Knight, and in the following year he made his will, and then lived ten years in retire- ment, as it was not proved until April 1694, when an inventory was also taken. As Samuel is not mentioned in either the will or inventory it appears most likely that he was not Ellis's son. His earliest known bell is at Stanford Dingley (Berks), and is dated 1684. By about 1702 the business had diminished seriously, and after that year I know of no orders executed by him at Reading outside his own county. In 1710 (probably) he left Reading, and removed to the parish of St. Andrew, Holborn, London. The actual site of his foundry is not known, but Mr. Stahlschmidt believed it was in Shoe Lane. For the first twelve or eighteen months there he seems to have had absolutely no business, but the tide eventually turned, and from 1712 he sent at least thirty-six bells to Sussex towers 1 ; from 1721, between eighty and ninety bells to Kentish towers * ; and some few elsewhere. In Surrey he contri- buted the renowned ring of twelve (of which the majority still remain) to St. Saviour's, South wark, in 1734-5, and a few others. His will is dated 15 November, 1739, and was proved on 19 December in the same year. He was succeeded in his London foundry by Robert Catlin, who appears in Samuel Knight's will as executor and residuary legatee. On the fifth bell of a ring of six at St. Michael's Church, St. Albans (Herts), dated 1739, it is stated that SAMUEL KNIGHT MADE ME and that 'ROBERT CATLIN HUNG us ALL. Catlin was admitted a ' Love Brother ' (hon. member) of the Founders' Company (London) in 1740, and died in I75I. 3 He kept up his predecessor's connection with Reading to some extent, by recasting the important rings of St. Lawrence and St. Mary, in that town. He was succeeded by Thomas Swain, who I believe came of a Reading family but not born there, being the eldest son of Thomas Swain of West Bedfont (Midd.). During the latter years of his life Bells of Sussex. * Bells of Kent. 3 Bells of Herts. 421
