Notes: 1. The tenor bell, one of a chime of 17, cast at Whitechapel Foundry, by Mears and Stainbank in 1930, bears the inscription round its waist “We ring in memory of James and Basil Knott God knows”.
2. The Knott Charitable Trust was set up by Sir James Knott, a Newcastle shipowner and founder of the Prince Line, in memory of his two sons, James and Basil, killed in action on the Western Front.
3. Sir James promised Newcastle a new church on condition that it should be called “St. James and St. Basil”. The bishop expressed doubts about Basil, a saint unknown to the Anglican church. Sir James replied, “No St. Basil, no church.” So Basil was duly canonised – at least on Tyneside.” Daily Telegraph?? 29/06/1996
4. The rest garden, behind the railings, was sold in 1972 to boost Church funds and Allan House, sheltered accommodation, was built on the site.
5. The stones used in the building are said to have come from John Dobson’s 1830 prison in Carliol Square, Newcastle which was demolished at that same time. The facing stones are from Kenton.
6. “It is announced that the . . . Vicar of Horton has been informed that Sir James Knott is prepared, as soon as arrangements can be made, to begin the building of a new church, vicarage and parish room . . . at Newsham, as a memorial to one of his two sons who was killed in the war”. Illustrated Chronicle
7. See the Every Name A Story entries for:
James Leadbitter Knott,
Henry Basil Knott
Thomas Garbutt Knott.
8. The Restoration Appeal in 1996 raised a total of £71,315.
9. In May 2016, to commemorate the outbreak of the Great War, two seats were purchased and placed in the memorial garden surrounded by seeds of poppies and cornflowers.
