William Grills Knight

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.

William Grills Knight in 1897

Knight was born 23 January 1839[1] in Fremantle, Western Australia to Stephen Henry Knight, a postmaster who had arrived on Parmelia in 1829 as one of the first settlers. 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 John McKail, 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]

See also

References
  1. "William Grills Knight". Great Southern Pioneers. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
  2. "Death of Mr. W. G. Knight, J.P." Albany Advertiser. Albany, Western Australia. 6 May 1903. p. 2. Retrieved 26 December 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  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. 9 October 1884. p. 2. Retrieved 26 December 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. "Government Gazette". The Daily News. Perth. 13 August 1886. p. 3. Retrieved 26 December 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  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. 24 January 1889. p. 7. Retrieved 26 December 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  11. "General News". The Daily News. Perth. 13 October 1891. p. 2. Retrieved 26 December 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. "The Advertiser". Albany Advertiser. Albany, Western Australia. 6 November 1897. p. 2. Retrieved 26 December 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  13. "Country News". The Inquirer and Commercial News. Perth. 13 January 1899. p. 6. Retrieved 26 December 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  14. "Advertising". Kalgoorlie Miner. Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. 28 July 1896. p. 1. Retrieved 26 December 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  15. Lorraine Larment (2008). "Albany Memorial Cemetery". Retrieved 26 December 2015.
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