Thomas Knight (MP for Kent)

Thomas Knight (15 May 1735-23 October 1794) was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons in two periods between 1761 and 1780.

Knight was the son of Thomas Knight (previously known as Brodnax and May) of Godmersham and his wife Jane Monke.[1]

In 1761, Knight was elected Member of Parliament (MP) for New Romney and held the seat to 1768.[2] In 1774 he was elected MP for Kent and held the seat until 1780.[3]

Knight succeeded to his father's estates in 1781, and greatly improved the seat and park of Godmersham.[4]

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 and the lands belonging to it, to his widow Mrs. Catherine Knight, for her life, with remainder to Edward Austen of Rolling Place.[4] Austen, who took the name Knight, was the brother of the authoress Jane Austen.

References

  1. ^ John Burke A genealogical and heraldic history of the commoners of Great Britain
  2. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "N" (part 2)
  3. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "K" (part 1)
  4. ^ a b Parishes: Godmersham, The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent: Volume 7 (1798), pp. 319-332. Date accessed: 24 November 2010
Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by
Rose Fuller
Sir Francis Dashwood		 Member of Parliament for New Romney
1761-1768
With: Sir Edward Dering, Bt		 Succeeded by
Sir Edward Dering, Bt
Richard Jackson
Preceded by
Sir Brook Bridges, Bt
Sir Charles Farnaby-Radcliffe, Bt		 Member of Parliament for Kent
1774-1780
With: Hon. Charles Marsham		 Succeeded by
Hon. Charles Marsham
Filmer Honywood