Knowles A & Son

General information

Our History

Andrew Knowles, Master Painter & Decorator – founder of Andrew Knowles & Son was born in Bank Buildings, Lasswade in 1850 and died at Burn Place (above the shop) in November 1924.

He married Helen Falconer and they lived at 5 Union Park, Bonnyrigg where his three children were born – William, Elizabeth and Charlotte. Andrew Knowles decided to start his own business on the birth of his third child and this was Charlotte born on 27th July 1888.

Charlotte was sent back to her grandmother in Union Park and William and Elizabeth lived with their father. Andrew married again Grace Millicent Hutton of border birth and to his second wife he had Christina, Hutton and Millie. His wife died in childbirth and Elizabeth of his first marriage was left to look after her father Chrissie and Hutton until his death in 1924 – Millie, the baby having been taken to be brought up by Stenhouses who also lived in Bank Buildings, Lasswade.

The business at this time was passed to William and Hutton. In later years Hutton withdrew from the business and William ran the business until his death in 1949. It was then passed to his sons Andrew and William. Andrew died suddenly as the result of an operation in 1957 at the age of 51. This left William to carry on the business alone. He had a son Robert who also served his time as a Painter & Decorator and was taken into partnership with his father in 1968. William died in 1970 and the business passed to Robert who runs the business as we all know it today.

Perhaps the family have been lucky always to have a male heir to carry on the name of Knowles for a century.

For the future – who knows!