John Knowles, a tailor’s son, started working in the cotton mills in Langcliffe during the 1830s. On 22 August 1835 he married the first of three wives, Dorothy Hudson. Just six months later in February 1836 she died after giving birth to a son, Joseph Knowles, who survived. Dorothy died before Holy Ascension graveyard opened and so is buried in the churchyard at Giggleswick.
Three years later John married Mary Caswell. Her first son was William Knowles who was born and died in November 1839, less than a week old and is buried in the infants’ corner in EX28. Then Mary died in 1842 at the birth of her next son Henry Knowles, who survived, and was buried in EX17 close to her son William.
John’s third wife was Margaret Scholey. Her first two sons were both called John and both died in infancy in 1848 and in 1852. Concerningly there are no burial records for the first John who was only a few days old. The second John died, aged 3, is buried in EX12, close by. They had three other children who survived but John had three children and two wives to mourn.