James Thomas Knowles (1831–1908)

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For his father, see James Thomas Knowles (1806–1884).

Sir James Thomas Knowles

KCVO (13 October 1831 – 13 February 1908) was an English architect and editor.[1] He was intimate with the poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson and the founder of the Metaphysical Society
to encourage rapprochement between religion and science.

Life

James Knowles was born in

Victoria Street in Westminster,[2] and an 1882 enlargement of the Royal Sea Bathing Hospital at Margate in Kent.[3]

However, he also developed a literary career. In 1860 he published The Story of King Arthur. In 1866 he was introduced to

Alfred Lord Tennyson and later agreed to design his new house with the condition that there was not any fee. This resulted in a close friendship, Knowles assisting Tennyson with business matters, and among other things helping to design scenery for the play The Cup, when Henry Irving produced it in 1880.[4]

Knowles corresponded with a number of the most interesting men of the day, and in 1869, with Tennyson's cooperation, he initiated the

Sir William Gull.[2]
The society included many men who became contributors to magazines edited by Knowles.

In 1870 he succeeded

Nineteenth Century (to the title of which, in 1901, were added the words And After). Both periodicals became influential while he was editor of them, and were the new sort of monthly review which replaced the popularity of the quarterlies.[4]
For example, it helped halt the Channel Tunnel project, by publishing a protest signed by many distinguished men in 1882. In 1904 he received a knighthood. He was a considerable collector of works of art.

Knowles was married twice, first in 1860 to Jane Borradaile, then in 1865 to Isabel Hewlett. He died in Brighton and was buried at the Brighton Extra Mural Cemetery.[2]

Notes

  1. ^ Lee, Sidney (1912). "Knowles, James Thomas" . In Lee, Sidney (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography (2nd supplement). London: Smith, Elder & Co.
  2. ^ a b c James Dodsley (1909), The Annual Register, digitized by Google
  3. ^ Harry Wells, "Mark Masons' Hall, 86 St. James's Street: A brief history of the present building", 28 May 2015 (online), access date 4 July 2015
  4. ^ a b c  One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Knowles, Sir James". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 15 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 876–877.

External links

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