The death of Mr Hopkin Knill occurred on Sunday at his residence, 10, Palace-Road, Llandaff. Mr Knill was born at Llandaff in 1841. He worked in London in his early years as a stone carver, and was side by side with Mr Henry Broadhurst, M.P., when the famous member was a working man engaged upon the House of Commons. Mr Knill's return to Wales came about through his brother, Mr George Knill, who for many years was postmaster at Tonypandy, giving him the contract to build a shop for him at Tonypandy. That was 35 years ago. It was the commencement of a very prosperous career in the building trade for Mr Hopkin Knill. He built in the following ten years a very large number of business premises in the Rhondda. He also built two chapels at Tony pandy, one for the English Congregationalists and another for the English Baptists. Mr Knill-also built a number of hotels in the valley, including the Thistle Hotel, Tonypandy, where he resided for some time, and the Royal, at Clydach Vale. Throughout his career as a builder Mr Knill enjoyed a great reputation for the honourable way in which he executed his contracts, and he prospered. Before giving up the building trade he built the Park Hotel at Barry, and retained the onership of it, besides building the Osborne at Cadoxton, which he sold only a few months ago. Mr Knill was one of the proprietors of the Tonypandy Brewery, and when this company concern was sold to Messrs Crosswells (of Ely) he became a director of the company, and was a member of the board at the time of his death. He was also interested in other brewery companies. A staunch Churchman and Conservative, Mr Knill was nevertheless on very friendly terms with Mr Broadhurst, who from time to time visited him; and was a great admirer of Mabon. About 14 years ago Mr Knill took up his residence in Cowbridge Road, Cardiff, subsequently removing to Hillcrest, Llandaff, and within the last few months he had removed to Palace-road. Deceased was a member of the St. David's (Aberdare) Lodge of Freemasons. He leaves a widow, but no children.
Henry Broadhurst (13 April 1840 - 11 October 1911) was a leading early British trade unionist and a Lib-Lab politician who sat in the House of Commons variously between 1885 and 1906.
SOURCE: Cardiff Times Obituary 8th January 1910