WW1 Internment Camp at Knockaloe

[ottoknellerkuenzel]

we have been trying to find out for over 90 years what happened to our greatgrand farther otto kneller WHILE HE WAS INTERNED, my grand mother was 3 months old  when he was sent to a internment camp  ,They worked for them selves in the slaughter and butchery trade they had shops ,houses ,which they rented out, yards,etc,crown yard and livingston yard in bilston street  WOLVERHAMPTON , they also lived and travelled from wroughton wiltshire  were they had other propertys,land for farming etc ,he came to the uk when he was 15 his brother fredrich was older he was 20 and working with some other germans from wurttenburg in Liverpool as a slaughterman they lived in brockfield rd west derby everton. otto was 43 when he was interned  and lived until he was 99 in germany my grandmother  had never seen him, we are visiting the family this year in germany

[pilates]

that is such a sad story.

I dont think the prisoners were mistreated, the circumstances were terrible but not the British, they prided themselves on being gentlemen. But when the Germans did something bad to their English prisoners, the Brits would retaliate and cut rations.

Re: the 200 who died, by British reports, most men were in the hospital for
venereal disease and Tuberculosis.

The REd Cross only confirmed he was there, the spellomg of his name.
I wanted to know the date of his leaving the island and where did he go,
as not all boats went directly to Germany.

If you have a prisoner number, the National Archives at Lews has info.
otherwise they are not listed alphabetically and there are too many names.

I'm so very very interested, let you know if I make it to the Isle of  Man to
visit their museum.
SDG

[Voirrey M]

I   have   been   reading  your  posts  with  interest.  Last  evening  I  went  to  a  talk  about Leece   museum in  Peel  which is  near  Knockaloe Camp  now  a  farm. The  Curator brought a  small
display of  exhibits including  several fascinating objects  created in the Camp in  WW1. These included  carved
bone ornaments  inscribed with  the  name of  the donor & the recipient  ---a British  guard  &   beautifully
carved  wooden  treasure /jewellery boxes. One  had been  received  by  a  local lady,  who  had  a  guest house
on the  promenade at  Peel ,from  a  wife  who had  stayed  often while over from  England visiting her husband.
Locals  were  able to  buy craftwork  as  Quakers/ Members of  the  Society  of  Friends  who are of  course
Pacifists  would arrange sales &  provision of new  materials as needed.  The  bones came free  from the kitchen
of  course.
The  internees put on  talented entertainment in their theatre &  a  chaplain { Church of  England }bought  womens'  clothing in  local shops for costumes. I  wonder  if  he  took  along his  wife  just in case of  gossip or
perhaps he explained openly the need  for  "underthings"etc.I don't know where the Coupons  came  from.

[pilates]

That's fabulous. I have read the book about James Baily, the Quaker who visited the camps and taught them how to build furniture. The Friends of Society were called in to give their idle hands and minds something to do,
and crime and depression changed when they started making things, earning
money, contributing something.
The mental part was the hardest, when would the war be over? what happened to their families? To do nothing made alot of them crazy.
Believe they did alot of basket weaving, getting the supplies from the Isle of Man,and provided that and furniture for countries overseas.
With extra money they could buy food.

I'm interested in the classes they set up. Did they teach English?
Handwriting? The men no doubt played the women's roles in the plays and theatres.

Did Joe Pilates teach exercise every day either before or after
they were counted?
My biggest interest now is in the hospital beds, did they have springs on them?
SDG
SDG

[Voirrey M]

re   your   query  about   beds------There   are   truly  excellent  photos of   the  interior   of   the  huts   in  MNH library. Although  completely  made  of   wood  they  were  spacious  &  in   appearance  like  "Nightingale"
Hospital  wards.  2   rows  of  beds[ plus  lockers] facing  with  a  good  space    in  the   middle  for  a   few  wooden  tables  &  school  sort  chairs.The  metal  frame  beds on  castors  would have  been  similar to those
in  hospitals then. I    can   see   underneath  the  mattresses  &  suspect  there  will  have  been   a  wire
pattern  to  support  the  mattresses  with  little  metal  horizontal  springs   nothing  like  the  large  vertical springs  in  more  modern  beds.   By   the  way   further  to  Frances'  post  saying the  residents  were  well
looked  after  even  if  kept  prisoners---every  hut  had  lots  of electric lights   while   even ' well   to  do' neighbours  had  oil  lamps  &   candles.
re   Joe   Pilates   There  is   a   photo  of   The   Sport  Club   members   1914---18 ---a   well  kitted out group
of  fit   gymnasts. They  apparently  had  gymn. equipment  as  one  unfortunate man  killed himself falling off
a  horizontal bar. Do  you  have  a  photo of   Pilates when  young---it  could  be  compared  with  photo.

[pilates]

wow, that's gold, thanks. worth a trip to the Isle of Man to see that photo!
Joe  Pilates would have been 29-33 years old. Have later picture I'll send.
Imagine they all lost weight though, on their diets.
They would have built beds with wood provided by the Quakers,
they did have electricity, although it was all turned off at night.
Imagine the noise of all those men!
Exciting to know they built gymnastic apparatuses!

[Voirrey M]

Re  beds   ALL  were  as   I   described   metal   hospital  type  beds ---  NO  wood   at   all .   The
cabinet  makers   made   quite  elegant  furniture   their   leader  was   a   superb  craftsman   just  in  the
same  way   the  leader  of  the  string  orchestra  had  been playing  for  the  King  a  few  days  before  captivity,  a  gifted  musician.

[Florida June]

Re: message 40..."the sport club"

This just triggered a memory..I have a photo of my father (yes,WWI..he was 60 when I was born)...in formation with a group of gymnists...from that time period...I'll have to dig it out.  Don't know any details, only know he was  a tailor in London (from Austria) b 1884, and spent WWI on the Isle of Man. Just found him yesterday in 1911 census, age 26.

Are there any photos available..so I can compare?

[pilates]

more excitement!
would love to see that photo!
Siri Galliano
www.liveartpilates.com