Researching Thomas Knight

Knight was the son of Thomas Knight (previously known as Brodnax and May) of Godmersham and his wife Jane Monke.

In 1761, Knight was elected Member of Parliament (MP) for New Romney and held the seat to 1768. In 1774 he was elected MP for Kent and held the seat until 1780.

Knight succeeded to his father's estates in 1781, and greatly improved the seat and park of Godmersham.

Knight died aged 59.

Knight married Catherine Knatchbull, daughter of Dr. Wadham Knatchbull, prebendary of Durham. They had no children and by his will he gave Godmersham Park and the lands belonging to it, to his widow Mrs. Catherine Knight, for her life, with remainder to Edward Austen of Rolling Place. Austen, who took the name Knight, was the brother of author Jane Austen.

Knight was born in Albany, Western Australia, to Jean Elizabeth (née Nesbitt) and Frederick Knight. He attended Albany High School, and after leaving school began working as a builder, eventually starting his own development company. Knight served on the Albany Town Council from 1964 to 1967, and became president of the local branch of the Liberal Party. He was preselected for the seat of Albany at the 1968 state election, but withdrew his candidacy prior to the election. His replacement, Henry Ayers, lost the seat to Jack Hall (the sitting Labor member) by a large margin.

At the 1974 state election, Knight was elected to the Legislative Council's South Province, winning the seat away from the National Alliance. He served as deputy chairman of committees from 1977 to 1982, as a parliamentary secretary from 1982 to 1983 (in the government of Ray O'Connor), and as a shadow minister from 1983 to 1986 (under the leadership of O'Connor and Bill Hassell). At the 1986 election, Knight was defeated by John Caldwell of the National Party. He attempted to re-enter parliament at the 1989 election, standing for the seat of Stirling in the Legislative Assembly, but was defeated by Monty House, sitting National MP for Katanning-Roe.