{1915}

Ernest Griest Knight, Born 24 March and named after his grandfather - a renowned artist. He grew up during the First World War and went to a prep school in Winchester. He then attended boarding school at Sutton Valence, Kent.
He trained to become an artist at Chelsea College of Art.

{1938}

Travelled to South Africa with a friend and settled in Johannesburg.

{1939}

Due to the outbreak of the Second World War he is not able to travel back to Britain. He completes war-work in the gold mines of South Africa. He enjoyed the companionship of the Zulus who he worked with and would make sketches of them.

{1949}

Returned to England for 6 months. On the outward voyage he met Kit Solkhon. She was a physio working for Northern Rhodesian government. They return to Northern Rhodesia where Ernest takes up the post as Principal of the art school at Munali in Lusaka.

{1952}

Ernest and Kit marry. Ernest begins selling his paintings of the Northern Rhodesian landscape including the Vumba Mountains and the Victoria Falls. The Royal Commonwealth purchase one of his paintings of the Victoria Falls for the London Office.

{1956}

Ernest and Kit return to England and settle in a house overlooking Torbay, in Brixham, Devon.

{1972-73}

Ernest completes a commission of 35 paintings of London. He would make many trips to the capital in his camper van, which he would use to live and sleep in too!

{1978}

They move to Dartmoor, Devon. Their new home, Torcroft, is on a hill above Widecombe-in-the-Moor and stands in 2 acres of woodland. Ernest's studio looks directly across the moor. His paintings are only exhibited in the house. Many members of the public come to buy his paintings. They travel extensively on the continent, where Ernest is able to complete paintings of France, Greece, Italy, Venice & Rome. They also make many visits to art galleries.

{1995}

Ernest dies in October.