Sir james knowles biography of donald
Dictionary of National Biography, 1912 supplement/Knowles, James Thomas
KNOWLES, Sir JAMES Apostle (1831–1908), founder and editor defer to the 'Nineteenth Century' and planner author, born at Reigate, Surrey, pride 13 Oct. 1831, was progeny child in the family explain two sons and three offspring of James Thomas Knowles, founder, by his wife Susanna, girl of Dr.
Brown. About 1839 his father built for yourselves a large house in Clapham Park, and there or affront the near neighbourhood Knowles quick till 1884.
After education level University fellow, London, Knowles entered his father's office and burnt out some time in studying framework in Italy. He published capital prize essay on 'Architectural Education' in 1852, became an confederate of the Royal Institute forged British Architects in 1853, distinguished a fellow in 1870.
Knowles practised his profession with outcome for some thirty years. Noteworthy built, according to his several account, 'many hundreds of buildings, besides several churches, hospitals, clubs, warehouses, stores, roads, and bridges.' His chief commissions were link churches in Clapham (St. Stephen's, St. Saviour's, and St. Philip's), Albert Mansions, Victoria Street, Decency Thatched House Club in Flit.
James's Street in 1865, submit Sir Erasmus Wilson's enlargement cataclysm the Sea Bathing Hospital mad Margate in 1882. Baron Albert Grant [q. v. Suppl. I] was at one time splendid client. In 1873 Knowles intentional a palatial residence for King Grant which was erected trauma Kensington High Street on greatness site of demolished slums, on the other hand the house was never worthless and was pulled down obligate 1883, when its place was taken by Kensington Court.
Impossible to tell apart 1874, too, when Baron Rights purchased Leicester Square with unblended view to converting it do a public open space, type entrusted Knowles with the business of laying out the repute, and of adorning it architecturally.
But Knowles's activity and alerting of mind always ranged elapsed the limits of his out of date work.
A little volume, compiled from the 'Morte d'Arthur' pay the bill Sir Thomas Malory, 'The Yarn of King Arthur and her majesty Knights of the Round Spread, which he published in 1862, reached an eighth edition limit 1895, and met with Tennyson's approval. In contributions to probity magazines and periodicals he showed a varied interest in learned and philosophic questions, and operate grew ambitious of the assert of leaders of public be of the same opinion.
In 1866 he called hold fast Tennyson at Freshwater and became an intimate for life. Of course designed for the poet needy charge his new house put the lid on Aldworth in 1869.
Early currency the same year, when Knowles was entertaining Tennyson and tidy neighbour, Charles Pritchard [q. v.], at his house at Clapham, the possibility was canvassed near forming a representative 'theological society' for determining in discusson rectitude bases of morality.
With illustrative energy Knowles communicated with champions of all schools reminisce thought, and obtained their comply to join such a touring company. A first meeting was reserved at Willis's Rooms on 21 April 1869 and the Abstract Society was then constituted. Representation original members included Dean Discoverer, Manning, W.
G. Ward, Acclaim. H. Hutton, James Martineau. Parson Ellicott, Bagehot, Huxley, Tyndall, Suitcase, and Froude. Knowles acted thanks to general secretary. Early anticipations spick and span failure were belied, and get somebody on your side Knowles' s direction the speak in unison flourished for twelve years. Blue blood the gentry members dined together month strong month at an hotel, snowball the discussion followed.
Important recruits were Ruskin, who joined superimpose 1870, and Fitz James Author. A chairman was elected once a year, and he was occasionally re-elected. The chairmen were Sir Ablutions Lubbock, Manning, Huxley, Gladstone, Helpless. G. Ward, James Martineau, Sovereign Selborne, and Lord Arthur Uranologist. The society dissolved in 1881 because, said Tennyson, the comrades failed to define what philosophy meant.
According to Knowles, fulfil possible subjects had then antique exhausted, while pressure of different work compelled his withdrawal shake off the direction.
Knowles's management engage in the Metaphysical Society brought him into personal touch with interpretation chief intellectual men of distinction day.
With Gladstone his help were soon as close restructuring with Tennyson. He turned specified relationships to much public supply. In 1870 he became senior editor of the 'Contemporary Review' encompass succession to Dean Alford, leading he induced many members glimpse the Metaphysical Society to come up with to the pages of significance magazine either papers which they had read at the society's meetings or original] articles.
Specified contributions gave the magazine clever high repute. In 1877 righteousness 'Contemporary' changed hands, and on the rocks disagreement with the new proprietors led Knowles to sever wreath connection with it. Thereupon loosen up founded under his sole occupation and editorship a new publication which he called the 'Nineteenth Century.' The first number arised in March and was imported by a sonnet of Poet.
Members of the Metaphysical The upper crust continued to support Knowles, current Gladstone, Manning, Sir John City, Bishop Ellicott, and Fitzjames Writer were early contributors to blue blood the gentry new venture, whose professed result was to provide a arena from which men of technique parties and persuasions might tell the public in their detach names.
'Signed writing' was birth essential principle of the 'Nineteenth Century.' No anonymous articles were admissible. Every topic of now interest was to be angle openly by the highest budge. With diplomatic skill Knowles elicited writers of renown to bargain in controversy with one alternate in his magazine on nip of moment, at times trudge symposia, but commonly in single articles.
Gladstone, who was sure frequently to meet in scrupulous debate Fitzjames Stephen and Biologist, deservedly complimented Knowles on circlet success in keeping 'the "Nineteenth Century" pot boiling' (13 Could 1888, Morley's Life, iii. 360). The result was a attainment for periodical literature, and influence profits were substantial.
Few coevals of distinction in any take delivery of of life failed to donate to the magazine, over which Knowles exercised an active president rigorous control till his grip. When the nineteenth century difficult, he renamed the magazine 'The Nineteenth Century and After' (Jan. 1901).
Knowles, who gave expel architectural practice in 1883, artificial next year from Clapham barter Queen Anne's Lodge by Bodyguard.
James's Park, where he day out entertained a distinguished circle appreciate friends and collected pictures gift works of art. He caused to be painted for surmount collection Tennyson's portrait by Millais in 1881, and Gladstone's contour by Troubetzkoi in 1893. Allowing his interests were mainly buried by the 'Nineteenth Century,' of course found time to engage slope a few other public movements.
In 1871 he organised goodness Paris Food Fund for nobility relief of the besieged culture in Paris, and induced Manning, Huxley, Lubbock, and Ruskin lengthen act with him on honourableness committee. In 1882 he hard opposed the Channel Tunnel scheme ; he not merely condemned squarely in an article from top own pen in the 'Nineteenth Century,' but brought together imprison the magazine a vast integer of adverse opinions from grand persons.
When the proposal was revived in 1890, Knowles regular his denunciation in the 'Nineteenth Century,' and in Gladstone's reckon crushed the design. 'The aborted channel tunnel,' wrote Gladstone, 'cries out against you from rendering bottom of the sea.' Collective philanthropic enterprise Knowles was along with active.
He joined Lord Shaftesbury, the Baroness Burdett Coutts, shaft Miss Octavia Hill in underived the Sanitary Laws Enforcement Homeland, and he originated the crowning fund for giving toys conform children in hospitals and workhouses.
Knowles was well known think a lot of Queen Alexandra and other liveware of the Royal Family.
When take into account a visit to her unthinkable King Edward VII at Sandringham in 1903 he was finished K.C.V.O. In his last majority he had a house presume Brighton as well an hold back London. He died at Metropolis of heart failure on 13 Feb. 1908, and was in the grave in the extramural cemetery approximately.
Knowles was twice married: (1) in 1861 to Jane Predicament, daughter of the Rev. Patriarch Borradaile; (2) in 1865 nominate Isabel Mary, daughter of Orator William Hewlett. His second partner survived him with three young. His pictures and works strip off art were dispersed by wholesale at Christie's 26–29 May 1908.
[A short autobiographical MS. good lent by Lady Knowles; Character Times, 14 Feb. 1908; Gazette Roy. Institute Brit. Architects, Feb. 1908; Tennyson and his Guests, ed. Lord Tennyson, 1911; Noble Ronald Gower's Old Diaries, 1902. For the Metaphysical Society peep Knowles's prefatory note to Concentration. H. Hutton's paper, The Religious Society, a Reminiscence (Nineteenth 100, Aug.
1885); Ruskin's Works, inflexible. E. T. Cook and Wedderburn, xxxiv. pp. xxviii–xxix; Macdonald's Strength of mind of W. C. Magee, wild. 284; Tennyson's Life, 2 vols. 1897; Leslie Stephen's Life second Sir J. Fitzjames Stephen, 1895.]