Tributes have been paid to a much loved former Bridport firefighter and father.
Donald Knight served as a fireman in the town for 31 years and spent the last 12 years of his career as the station officer before retiring in 1987.
The grandad, great grandad and great great grandad died in hospital on October 8 aged 91. His funeral was held in Bridport earlier this week on November 6.
He fought fires all over the place, including at Pier Terrace in West Bay, the 1976 forest fires around Bournemouth, a ship that set alight in Portland Harbour and plenty of heath fires on Golden Cap.
His son Graham followed in his father’s footsteps, spending 29 years as a fireman and both were inspired to take on the role by Donald's father Ronald, better known as Jack, who spent 28 years in the service.
Donald lived in Bridport his whole life, except for the two years he spent doing National Service which took him to the Far East, Hong Kong, Singapore and to Austria.
During this period, he climbed the ranks to become a Corporal and was put in charge of gymnastics for his section, this allowed him to regularly enjoy boxing, swimming, running and plenty of other sports.
Donald returned to Bridport in 1957 after his time in the National Service and set up D F G Knight & Sons Plumbing and Heating Engineers at 76 South Street where he also lived, which is now Soulshine.
Donald’s five children Jennifer, Heather, Graham, Elaine and Trevor, all grew up on South Street, describing their father as ‘fun’ and ‘firm but fair,’ as well as a ‘very active and a lovely, caring person who was very well respected.’
Elaine said: “I can remember sitting around for hours playing draughts with him. He taught me to play and then I ended up teaching him in the end.”
Graham added: “That was the same with me and snooker and Trevor and golf. He taught us how to do these things and then we ended up better than he was.”
Donald was constantly doing something to keep himself busy, even playing alley skittles until he was 90.
His hobbies included being a member of the freemasons, the rotary club, golf, snooker, skittles and water polo which he played for a number of years in his youth.
Donald had been married to his wife Barbara for nearly 60 years, but Barbara sadly passed away three months before their Diamond Wedding Anniversary.
When Bridport Fire Station was on South Street, Donald only had to run 100 yards up the road from his home. This was back when the fire bell would sound before bleepers and everyone living at their house would know there was a fire.
Sometimes, Barbara and the children would chase the fire engine up the road just to see where the fire was.
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