HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1990-08-22, Page 6PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 1990.
Keeping busy, Brussels man’s secret for long life
90 years young
Well-known Brussels resident Alfred Knight celebrated his 90th birthday at an Open House on
August 19 at Melville Presbyterian Church. Mr. Knight is standing in front of one of his latch-hook
works. He has won many awardsand prizes over the years for a variety ofcrafts he has shown at area
fairs.
BY BONNIE GROPP
It’s a life that has spanned 90
years, a life full of rich memories
and personal accomplishments,
and on Sunday family and friends
gathered to help respected Brus
sels resident Alfred Knight mark
this special occasion.
Alfred Knight was bom August
20 in the first year of a new century
on a farm one mile and a quarter
east of Cranbrook. He was the third
boy in a family that would eventu
ally include five more children. The
only girl, Mrs. Carl Hemingway of
Brussels and a brother in Picton are
also still surviving. Mr. Knight
says his elder two brothers were
born in Petrolia, where their father
was employed as a harness maker,
but in the fall of 1899, after a fire
destroyed the business and health
problems arose because of his
occupation, the elder Mr. Knight
came to Cranbrook to farm.
Despite the years, Mr. Knight’s
memories are clear and he enjoys
sharing them, describing them in
detail. He never has a shortage of
listeners, and delights in regular
visits from his many nieces and
nephews, special acquaintances,
old and new.
He remembers his early educa
tion at a two room school in
Cranbrook, saying that students
usually began their term at Easter
and the year he started there was a
big enrollment of about 70 young
sters. Busy helping on the family
farm, Mr. Knight said he was
unable to start school with the
others but in the fall instead, which
made it difficult for him to keep up.
However, by his final year, the year-
during which he said he had a
perfect teacher, he ended up
“topping a class of eight with
honours, and I guess you could say
I’ve been a winner ever since,” he
adds with characteristic aplomb.
After school he returned to his
father’s farm where he served a
“25 year apprenticeship”, explain
ing that the family had a large beef
operation - about 700 acres, which
was uncommon for those days of
horse power.
With the knowledge they gained
from their father he and his brother
Walter, set up their own operation
and were very successful with it.
They sold the farm in 1957 and
the pair retired to Brussels, where
they kept busy doing all types of .
odd jobs for people in the village
' *
for 75 cents an hour. They also
began doing work for the Horticul
tural Society and though Walter
passed away, Alfred continued
working for the group for almost 20
years.
He began travelling in the early
70’s and also developed a keen
interest in a variety of crafts that
have gained him many awards and
recognition. He has displayed his
handiwork at three local fairs, often
taking top honours and has quali
fied several times for the Home
craft convention in Toronto.
Although he is no longer able to
drive Mr. Knight still supports his
home church, Knox, in Cranbrook.
He served there as an elder for
many years and says he still is one
though no longer active. In 1974 a
letter of apreciation was sent to him
from the board in recognition of his
service and it remains with him as
one of his most treasured posses
sions.
Another framed certificate com
memorates 40 years of service on
the Cranbrook Cemetery Board.
Stricken with arthritis 12 years
ago, Mr. Knight still tries to keep
as active as possible. “I’m still
trying to keep fit,” he says. “I ran
into a few extra problems, but I’m
getting everything under control
and I hope to resume my walks
again to keep in shape.” Mr.
Knight has been with the Day
Centre in Wingham for 10 years,
which he says allows him to get
around and see a lot of interesting
things. “It’s meant a lot and I’ve
used it to the fullest.” Each year he
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makes 500 covered hangers for the
Day Centre to sell to raise money, a
token of his gratitude.
“I have had some battles to
fight, but I have been a consistent
winner. Both my parents taught me
that when you have a task to do,
you do the best you can.” He
remembers one instance when as a
teen, he contracted blood poison
ing, and tenaciously sat up all
night, bathing the wound. “The
doctor said I had done a thorough
job of cleaning it. It was a
demonstration of the importance of
doing something well.”
“I think if there is a secret for
living 90 years, it’s work. I have
always had to be busy, to be doing
something. Keeping busy and hav
ing a fondness for work, that’s my
secret.”
Letter from
the editor
Continued from page 5
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