Henry Knight (cricketer)
Henry Knight (born Henry Austen, 27 May 1797 – 31 May 1843) was a nephew of Jane Austen and an English cricketer who played for Sussex. He was born in Rowling, Kent and died in Kent.
He was the third son of Jane Austen's brother Edward Austen Knight, who had added the additional surname of Knight in 1812 when he inherited the Chawton House estate from Thomas Knight.
He joined the Army in 1818 as a cornet, was promoted lieutenant in 1821, captain in 1823 and half-pay major in 1826. He retired in 1837.
Knight made a single first-class appearance for Sussex, in 1827, against Kent. In the twelve-a-side match, Knight finished on 3 not out in the first innings, and did not bat in the second. His brothers, George Thomas, Edward and Brook and nephews Philip and Gerald Portal all played first-class cricket.
He married twice: firstly Sophia, daughter of Lewis Cage, with whom he had a son, and secondly Charlotte, the daughter of the Rev. Edward Worthey, with whom he had a daughter.
External links
- Henry Knight at Cricket Archive (subscription required)