End of an era as one of Silsden's oldest and best-known businesses moves out of Briggate
The Silsden estate agents business started by Dennis Knowles more than 60 years ago has left its Briggate home (pictured above). Notices in the windows announce that Whitaker Cadre, which describes itself as a lettings specialist with offices in Ilkley, Leeds and Harrogate, has acquired Knowles by Zenko Properties. Knowles Estate Agency was sold to Leeds-based Zenko a few years ago by owner Michael Knowles, son of the founder. Whitaker Cadre says it has merged the Silsden acquisition with its Ilkley office and can be found at The Point in Lower Railway Road, Ilkley. The Briggate office employed three people.
The Silsden estate agents business started by Dennis Knowles more than 60 years ago has left its Briggate home (pictured above). Notices in the windows announce that Whitaker Cadre, which describes itself as a lettings specialist with offices in Ilkley, Leeds and Harrogate, has acquired Knowles by Zenko Properties. Knowles Estate Agency was sold to Leeds-based Zenko a few years ago by owner Michael Knowles, son of the founder. Whitaker Cadre says it has merged the Silsden acquisition with its Ilkley office and can be found at The Point in Lower Railway Road, Ilkley. The Briggate office employed three people.
Michael left the Knowles estate agency five years ago, following the Zenko purchase. He had helped run the local business for more than 40 years, having worked alongside his father before taking over. Dennis, who died in his early 80s in 2008, was one of Silsden's best-known businessmen and had been chairman of the Civic Society. Dennis started as a wholesale supplier of decorating materials before becoming an estate agent, under Harold Crane's tutelage, in about 1963. The Knowles office was originally on the ground floor of the old Yorkshire Bank building, as can be seen on the right in the above late-1960s photograph, and moved to the other side of Briggate when the Electricity Board showroom closed.
The photograph above shows the Knowles office about 12 years ago in the days of its unrivalled local standing. The estate agency continued there until shutting last week (July 19th). Director Matthew Lamb says Whitaker Cadre already has an established portfolio in Silsden, serviced from the Ilkley office, and the acquisition of the lettings business of Knowles by Zenco Properties is a natural expansion, which will be conducted under the Whitaker Cadre name.
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Michael left the Knowles estate agency five years ago, following the Zenko purchase. He had helped run the local business for more than 40 years, having worked alongside his father before taking over. Dennis, who died in his early 80s in 2008, was one of Silsden's best-known businessmen and had been chairman of the Civic Society. Dennis started as a wholesale supplier of decorating materials before becoming an estate agent, under Harold Crane's tutelage, in about 1963. The Knowles office was originally on the ground floor of the old Yorkshire Bank building, as can be seen on the right in the above late-1960s photograph, and moved to the other side of Briggate when the Electricity Board showroom closed. |