Sir Stuart Knill, 1st Baronet (11 April 1824 – 19 November 1898) was a London businessman and

Lord Mayor of London The Lord Mayor of London is the Mayors in England, mayor of the City of London, England, and the Leader of the council, leader of the City of London Corporation. Within the City, the Lord Mayor is accorded Order of precedence, precedence over a ...

Biography

Knill was born the son of John Knill, of Blackheath, London and succeeded his father as proprietor of Messrs. John Knill and Co.,

wharfinger Wharfinger (pronounced ''wor-fin-jer)'' is an archaic term for a person who is the keeper or owner of a wharf. The wharfinger takes custody of and is responsible for goods delivered to the wharf, typically has an office on the wharf or dock, and ...

s and warehouse-keepers, of London Bridge. His step-sister was Jane Knill, the third wife of the architect

Augustus Pugin Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin ( ; 1 March 1812 – 14 September 1852) was an English architect, designer, artist and critic with French and Swiss origins. He is principally remembered for his pioneering role in the Gothic Revival architecture ...

. In 1885, Knill was elected Alderman for the ward of Bridge Within, became

Sheriff of the City of London Two Sheriffs of the City of London are elected annually by the members of the City livery companies. Today's Sheriffs have only ceremonial duties, but the historical officeholders held important judicial responsibilities. They have attended the ...

for 1889–90 and

for 1892–93. As a devout Catholic, only the second to be selected as Mayor since the

Reformation The Reformation, also known as the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation, was a time of major Theology, theological movement in Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the p ...

, he had certain difficulties in coping with the traditions of the office caused by his refusal to enter a Protestant church. He was nevertheless given the honour of a baronetcy in 1893 to celebrate the marriage of the Duke and Duchess of York. In 1897, Knill transferred his aldermanry to the adjacent ward of

Bridge Without Bridge Without was a historical ward of the City of London situated to the south of the River Thames, which existed between 1550 and 1899. The area of the Bridge Without ward today forms part of the London Borough of Southwark. It was so-called t ...

to make room for his son

Sir John Knill, 2nd Baronet Sir John Stuart Knill, 2nd Baronet (4 September 1856 – 26 March 1934) was Lord Mayor of London for 1909 to 1910. He was the son of Sir Stuart Knill, 1st Baronet, the first Roman Catholic Lord Mayor of London since the Reformation. Knill was a ...

, who became Lord Mayor in turn in 1909. Knill was a member of the Plumbers’ Company and was also on the Court of the Goldsmiths’ Company. He was created a Knight of St. Gregory by the Pope and an officer of the Order of St Leopold by the

King of the Belgians The monarchy of Belgium is the Constitutional monarchy, constitutional and Inheritance, hereditary institution of the monarchical head of state of the Kingdom of Belgium. As a popular monarchy, the Belgian monarch uses the title king/quee ...

. Knill died in 1898. He had married Mary, the daughter of Charles Rowland Parker of Blackheath and had several children, including his heir and four daughters.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Knill, Stuart 1824 births 1898 deaths Businesspeople from London Sheriffs of the City of London 19th-century lord mayors of London 19th-century English politicians Knights of St. Gregory the Great Baronets in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom English Roman Catholics 19th-century English businesspeople Businesspeople awarded knighthoods