See Francis' Birth Certificate
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The A listing of the Public Houses, Publicans and Public House address lists Frances at the Old Rose Public House, 51 Ratcliff Highway as taken from Pigots Directory from 1839.

Ratcliffe Highway ran near the docks of the British East India Company, and I've read that in the first half of the nineteenth century, Ratcliffe Highway, Stepney, was the toughest thoroughfare in the East End of London. It was a place of sailors' lodging-houses, sailors' pubs, sailors' ladies. with tall brazen-faced women dressed in gaudy colours, sly pimps and crimps, roaring sailors out for a good time, bearded foreign musicians from the fifteen dance halls of the locality, and the intrepid policemen of H Division walking through the throng in twos. The area's reputation eventually became so bad that the road was renamed St. George's Street.

For Francis to be running a beer house in this particular area is a good indication that he must have been a pretty tough character.




Click to see a larger copy of the Old Rose pub as it is today.

The Old Rose is imortalised in an anonymous old nautical song from the 1840's:

RATCLIFF HIGHWAY
(Anon., circa 1840; tune: Tune: variant of Scots "Caledoni-o")

Come all you jolly seamen,
And listen unto me;
Avast a while, I'll make you smile,
And tell you of a spree.
There's funny craft in Wapping,
In streaming colours gay,
And Pirates too, and Fireships,
In Ratcliff Highway.

Chorus:
So mind those buxom lasses,
In their flying colours gay,
Or soon they'll clean your lockers
In Ratcliff Highway!

The Old Three Crowns I anchored in,
Oh such a jolly crew;
There's rough and smooth from every clime,
And copper colour too.
Such lasses there, so neat and fair,
With hair both grey and red,
Some with no nose and some no teeth,
And damaged figurehead.
Chorus:

The Blue Anchor I next entered –
A Frigate took in tow;
I was run aground, my cargo lost,
I found that I must go;
I sail'd into another port,
And so by the next day
My hulk well-rigged and water-tight
Was in Ratcliff Highway.
Chorus:

Then there's the Three Jolly Sailors,
Such grog there in galore,
And lasses too, there's twenty,
I think as many more;
They foot it there so neatly,
But mind, without a doubt,
You'll find they'll cut your cable,
So keep a good lookout.
Chorus:

The Old Rose and Britannia,
Such Frigates there's at hand,
There's crooked Loo and squinting Sue,
And bandy Mary Ann;
There's skinny Nell the yellow girl,
And flash Maria neat,
There's bouncing Het and brazen Bet
That's been through all the fleet.
Chorus:

Then in the famed King William
That's in New Gravel Lane,
There's Jenny Jones all skin and bones,
And ugly Molly Payne;
Thick-lipped Kit as black as jet
With a bustle such a size,
And snuffling Liz, with such a phiz,
And Sukey Gravy-eyes.
Chorus:

So all you jolly sailors,
I'd have you bear in mind
There's Pirate craft in every port,
And Fireships you'll find;
And if you wish to have a spree,
When out upon a cruise,
Get moored all right, so snug and tight,
In the port of the Paddy's Goose.
Chorus:
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We can see Francis in 1841 living at what seems to be Ratcliffe Highway, in the borough of Middlesex:
Francis Knibbs 49 Victualler
Ann Knibbs 33
Edwin Knibbs 20
Isabella Knibbs 16
George Knibbs 13
Henry Knibbs 12(?)
Jane Knibbs 5
Francis Knibbs 3

The children Edwin, Isabella and George are from his first marriage to Mary. Jane and Frances are clearly from his second marriage to Ann. We believe Henry is probably Henry Theodore BURT, the son of his second wife from her first marriage.
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Kelly's Directory in 1843 lists Francis as the Publican of the Old Rose public house, Ratcliffe Highway.

I would think that Francis Knibbs must have been a pretty tough character. I've read that in the first half of the nineteenth century, Ratcliffe Highway, Stepney, was the toughest thoroughfare in the East End of London. It was a place of sailors' lodging-houses, sailors' pubs, sailors' ladies, with tall brazen-faced women dressed in gaudy colours, sly pimps and crimps, roaring sailors out for a good time, bearded foreign musicians from the fifteen dance halls of the locality, and the intrepid policemen of H Division walking through the throng in twos. The area's reputation eventually became so bad that the road was renamed St. George's Street.
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Francis died on 12 April 1856, aged (according to his death certificate) 61 years. He was living at 3 St. George's Street.

Read Francis' Last Will and Testament

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From The Times, Wednesday, Apr 16, 1856;
DEATHS:
On the 11th inst., Francis Knibbs, aged 61, many years a licensed victualler in St. George's East.

We know from the will of Mary's mother, Mary Soden who died in 1832, that one third of her estate was left to the children of Mary and her husband Francis Knibbs.
"To William Faulkner of Sesswells Barton and John Soden, the cottage, orchard and garden, occupied by myself and Richard Gardener, to be disposed of as soon as possible and the proceeds divided into three:-
- One third to my daughter Elizabeth Edwards of Middle Barton (widow)
- One third to my daughter Susanna, wife of Francis Padbury, a victualler of Oxford
- Remaining third to Francis Padbury to be invested and trust funds set up for the children of my late daughter Mary, wife of Francis Knibbs of Westminster, victualler, until they reach 21"

So clearly, Mary (Knibbs) Soden died before her mother.