A copper memorial tablet for Thomas Redfern Kneale M.A. and Miss Winifred Frances Mary Kneale can be found in St. Mary de Ballaugh (New Church) on Station Road in Ballaugh.
The memorial tablet is mounted on a wooden board and can be found between the third and fourth windows from the front of the church on the north side of the nave.
The tablet carries the following dedication:
“TO THE GLORY OF GOD
AND IN
SACRED MEMORY
OF
THE REV THOMAS REDFERN KNEALE M.A.
RECTOR OF THIS PARISH 1897-1934. RURAL DEAN OF PEEL 1909-1934.
WHO DIED AT “YN DRUIN” LEZAYRE ON JULY 29TH 1935 IN HIS 78TH YEAR.
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EDUCATED AT KING WILLIAM’S COLLEGE AND EMMANUEL COLLEGE CAMBRIDGE.
SUCCESSIVELY HEAD MASTER OF THE RAMSEY GRAMMAR SCHOOL.
CHAPLAIN OF ST. JUDE’S AND VICAR OF KIRK CHRIST RUSHEN.
FOR MANY YEARS DIOCESAN INSPECTOR & SECRETARY TO THE DIOCESAN CONFERENCE
He devoted his life fearlessly to the interests
of the Church of this Island & its Clergy.
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ALSO
IN SACRED MEMORY
OF
WINIFRED FRANCES MARY
DAUGHTER OF THE ABOVE
WHO DIED AT “YN DRUIN” LEZAYRE ON OCTOBER 9TH 1935 AGED 40
A devoted worker in the Church Organisations
of this Parish, the Deanery & the Diocese. More information about the life of Thomas was contained in the following obituary which was published in the Isle of Man Examiner newspaper on Friday 2nd August 1935.
“DEATH OF THE REV. T.R. KNEALE, M.A.
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Thirty-seven Years Rector of Ballaugh
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THE PASSING OF A GREAT PERSONALITY
------------------ The Rev. Thomas Redfern Kneale, M.A., for thirty-seven years Rector of Ballaugh – a position from which he retired only a year ago – passed away on Monday morning at his home, “Yn Druin,” Lezayre, where he had lain ill for some weeks past.
“The Rector,” by which he was popularly known, was probably involved in more diocesan controversies than any other Manx clergyman in the past generation, but even those who differed from him most would concede that he bore a fine Christian character and his name will long be revered in Ballaugh and the north of the Island, where he was for many years an outstanding personality. He was a great scholar, and above all a parish priest whose work in a difficult parish was such that it will stand for many years to come.
Born in 1858, Rector Kneale was the son of Mr. Thomas Kneale, of Regaby-Veg, Andreas, whose descendants can be traced as far back as 1511. After attending private schools in Ramsey, he was sent at 12 years of age to King William’s College. Among scholars at the College during his time there were the present Archdeacon, the Ven. John Kewley, the Rev. W. G. Rolston, and Canon Quine now Vicar of Lonan. His friendship with Canon Quine was preserved through life, and they weathered many an ecclesiastical storm together and have been regarded as patriarchs of the Manx Church. In 1878, Mr Kneale won an exhibition to Queen’s College, Cambridge, the following year he was entered for Emmanuel College, and 1881 he took his B.A. with second class mathematics. He was a keen athlete (at King William’s he had been cricket captain and a member of the football fifteen), and at Cambridge he was in the Emmanuel crew for a year. He was later a member of the Manx cricket team (captained by the late Mr. A. W. Moore) which toured the north of England. Whilst at Cambridge he also won the Johnson exhibition for Mathematics. On leaving Cambridge he was appointed assistant Mathematics master at the Royal Medical School, Epsom, and returned to the Island two years later as Master of the Ramsey Grammar School. About the same time his friend John Quine, took charge of the Grammar School at Douglas. In 1884 also, Mr Kneale was ordained to the priesthood and later was married, his wife being a Miss Sumner.
He remained headmaster of the school until 1888, when he became Chaplain of St. Jude’s, being succeeded at Ramsey by the Rev. A. S. Newton. Dr. Hughes Games, then Archdeacon at Andreas, was formerly Mr. Kneale’s headmaster at King William’s. In 1883 Mr Kneale became Vicar of Rushen, and on New Year’s Day, 1897 he took on his final incumbency as the Rector of Ballaugh, succeeding “Parson Kissack.” From 1893 to 1913, he was secretary of the Diocesan Conference and was Diocesan Inspector of Schools from 1888 to 1913. He was Appointed Rural Dean of Peel in 1909 By Bishop Drury.
…when in Rushen, St. Catherine’s Church Port Erin was extended and the handsome porch at St. Mary’s, Port St, Mart was built. During his incumbency at Ballaugh a fine parish hall was built, the churchyard extended, a memorial built, and the church kept in order and repair…One of his last accomplishments was the installation of electric lighting in the hall and the church.”
In public activities he played a prominent part, including the dispensing of poor relief in the Parish and was appointed the first chairman of the Board of Poor Law Guardians when it was formed. He served on the Northern Higher School Education Board and was later a member of the Isle of Man Education Authority.
“...his wife who survives him, is a sister of the late Sir John Sumner, and his son, Mr. Ronald Sumner Kneale, is in the “Typhoo Tea” business in Birmingham founded by his late uncle. Another son, Mr Reginald L. Kneale, died in Canada. His daughter, Miss Winifred L. Kneale, lives at home.”
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There is very little additional public information available about Winifred’s life, but at the time of the 1911 National Census, it would appear that Winifred was at boarding school in Southport, Lancashire.
Source: Ancestry® | Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History Records