Edward Knight's Family
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Lionel Knight Rice. [3]
Born April 17th 1844 at Dane Court.
Lionel was educated at Cheltenham College, and when old enough, went off to Australia to seek his fortune.
He had a restless disposition and was never inclined to settle for long in any one place – his wife (Eleanor Augusta, daughter of Robert Hay Murray J.P. D.L., of Godington Park, Kent – whom he married on October 17th 1876) used to declare that she spent half her married life packing and unpacking her boxes. They had no children and were a very devoted couple.
Lionel's nephew, Bertram Osmaston, wrote of him: 'He was a giant of six feet three inches, and broad in proportion. He spent most of his life in Australia. When he retired he returned to England, but soon after purchased a property in Norway, where for a good many years he fished and shot game. He was exceedingly keen on birds and animals, which love he retained to the end.'
He was a very successful water colour artist. He possessed a youthful zest for life well into his old age – at the age of eighty, tired of Sussex, he toyed with the idea of buying a house in Bournemouth. The agent, no doubt as he thought tactfully, suggested, 'Don't you think Sir, that at your age it might be better to rent a house?' Lionel was much put out. 'Stupid fellow,' he said angrily, to a niece. 'Could he not see that at eighty it is about time to settle down?' Probably attracted by the good fishing ...
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