William Grills Knight

William Grills Knight in 1897

William Grills Knight (23 January 1839  – 3 May 1903) was a prominent businessman and politician who served as the Mayor of Albany in the Great Southern region of Western Australia.

Knight was born 23 January 1839[1] in Fremantle, Western Australia to Stephen Henry Knight, a postmaster. The family moved to Albany the following year.[2]

He married Ann Augusta McKail and together they had four children.[3] In 1865 Knight was working as a farmer and grazier at Woodlands, a farm owned by the McKail family, in the Porongurups.[1]

The Rocks, an iconic building in Albany, was built by Grills in 1882 as his residence. The building, now used as an exclusive hotel, is heritage listed.[4][5]

First elected in 1876 Knight then served as chairman from 1877 to 1879.[2] Knight remained on the council[6] and was elected as Mayor of Albany in 1886.[7]

While Mayor, Knight raised the required capital to build the Albany Town Hall in 1886,[8] which he later opened in 1888.[9] By 1889 Lancel Victor de Hamel was elected Mayor,[10] with Knight remaining on the council[11] until his re-election as Mayor in 1897.[12] He remained as Mayor until 1899 when C. M. McKenzie was elected to the position.[13]

In 1896, Knight and his son started a shipping and station agents business in Albany.[14]

Knight died in Albany on 4 May 1903 and was buried at Memorial Park Cemetery.[15]

References

  1. 1 2 "William Grills Knight". Great Southern Pioneers. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
  2. 1 2 "Death of Mr. W. G. Knight, J.P.". Albany Advertiser (Albany, Western Australia: National Library of Australia). 6 May 1903. p. 2. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
  3. ↑ "Knight, Ann Augusta (Gussie) (nee McKail) (1840 - 1904)". Australian National Herbarium. 19 January 2015. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
  4. ↑ "The rocks, Albany". Luxury Australia. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
  5. ↑ "The Rocks". Heritage Council of Western Australia. 8 February 2015. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
  6. ↑ "Classified Advertising.". The West Australian (Perth, Western Australia: National Library of Australia). 9 October 1884. p. 2. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
  7. ↑ "Government Gazette". The Daily News (Perth, Western Australia: National Library of Australia). 13 August 1886. p. 3. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
  8. ↑ "History". City of Albany. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
  9. ↑ "Albany Town Hall, 217 York Street, corner Grey Street West". Albany Gateway. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
  10. ↑ "Albany". The W.A. Record (Perth, Western Australia: National Library of Australia). 24 January 1889. p. 7. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
  11. ↑ "General News". The Daily News (Perth, Western Australia: National Library of Australia). 13 October 1891. p. 2. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
  12. ↑ "The Advertiser.". Albany Advertiser (Albany, Western Australia: National Library of Australia). 6 November 1897. p. 2. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
  13. ↑ "Country News". The Inquirer and Commercial News (Perth, Western Australia: National Library of Australia). 13 January 1899. p. 6. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
  14. ↑ "Advertising.". Kalgoorlie Miner (Kalgoorlie, Western Australia: National Library of Australia). 28 July 1896. p. 1. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
  15. ↑ Lorraine Larment (2008). "Albany Memorial Cemetery". Retrieved 26 December 2015.
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