A Knock at the Door

A Homeless Man, a Lawyer . . . and a Family Changed Forever

Rob Parsons

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Hardback

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QTY:

English

William Collins
25 April 2025

Autobiography: general; Memoirs; True stories: discovery, historical & scientific; Homelessness; Charities, voluntary services & philanthropy

‘An incredible read. I laughed, I cried and my heart was truly touched by this beautifully written true story of hope and humanity at its best.’ Rosemary Conley CBE'An extraordinary story. Truly Inspirational' Tim VineAn astonishing story of kindness, self-learning, pain, unbelievable hope and the sheer power of love to change a life.

Christmas 1975 and Queen’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ is riding high in the charts. In a residential street just outside Cardiff, a persistent knocking breaks the stillness of the evening …

When Rob Parsons, a young lawyer, opens his door he finds a man standing before him clutching a bag of belongings and a frozen chicken. Rob and his wife, Dianne, invite him into their home, cook his chicken and offer him shelter for the night. What happens next is an astonishing story of human kindness, self-learning, incredible pain, unbelievable hope and the sheer power of love to change a life.

A Knock at the Door is the true story of Ronnie Lockwood, a homeless man who entered the home of a young couple, became a dustman and lived as part of their family for over 45 years until his death. But this is not just Ronnie’s story – it is also that of Rob and his family. Outwardly the two men’s lives were worlds apart – as Ronnie emptied rubbish bins, Rob flew on Concorde – and yet, they discovered they had similar struggles. Then the day came, at the lowest moment of the couple’s lives, when they turned to the homeless man for help.

But there were also remarkable turnarounds. Ronnie spent much of his spare time volunteering, including at a homeless centre, and ended up having a £1.6 million well-being centre named after him. Rob left his law practice and he and Dianne began a charity that touches the lives of millions of people.

You will have never read a story like this before, but at its heart is a simple message: whether we are a lawyer or a dustman – tomorrow doesn’t always have to be like yesterday.

By: Rob Parsons
Imprint: William Collins
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 222mm, Width: 141mm, Spine: 33mm
Weight: 480g
ISBN: 9780008708665
ISBN 10: 0008708665
Pages: 368
Publication Date: 25 April 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Dr Rob Parsons OBE is a bestselling author of more than 25 books, including The Sixty Minute Father and The Heart of Success. He is an international speaker who has spoken to more than a million people at live events. He is a lawyer by profession but left his legal practice in 1988 to help launch the national charity Care for the Family. Rob lives in the United Kingdom and is married to Dianne. They have two children and five grandchildren.

Reviews for A Knock at the Door: A Homeless Man, a Lawyer . . . and a Family Changed Forever

'An extraordinary story. Truly Inspirational' Tim Vine ‘An incredible read. I laughed, I cried and my heart was truly touched by this beautifully written true story of hope and humanity at its best.’ Rosemary Conley CBE ‘One of the most incredible stories of hope you will ever read. It moved me to tears' Tarn Bright, CEO, Home for Good 'A true story that is a remarkable combination of heartbreaking and heartwarming. None of the team that worked on this feature remained dry-eyed after reading it. ' Daily Telegraph ‘One of the most heartwarming books of the year.' Sunday Mail 'A remarkable story of friendship' The Week