Henry Newton Knights
Encyclopedia
Henry Newton Knights was a British
businessman and Conservative Party
politician.
in south east London, started an engineering business in 1908. In 1911 he purchased the Astbury Engineering Works, Peckham
, as a going concern. During the First World War
he manufactured Stokes bombs
for the British Army
. He was also active in the Volunteer Force, a home defence organisation, holding the rank of captain. He was awarded the MBE
in the 1918 Birthday honours. In 1918 he was one of the founding directors of the British And South African Insurance Corporation. In the following year the new company merged with the British and Australasian Insurance Company to form the Greater Britain Insurance Corporation, with Newton Knights as chairman. He resigned in March 1921.
as a member of the Conservative-backed Municipal Reform Party
. He was mayor
of Camberwell in 1913–1914.
He was co-opted on 15 October 1918 onto the London County Council
by the Municipal Reform
party to represent the Dulwich
division of the Borough of Camberwell.
He held the office of Sheriff of the City of London in 1920 – 1921.
(MP) for Camberwell North
at the 1918 general election
.
a week earlier. He was eventually discovered a week later on a roadside between Dymchurch
and Hythe
, having suffered a nervous breakdown
and unable to give any account of his movements. Admitted to a Kent nursing home, he resigned as sheriff a month later. In June 1921 he informed the North Camberwell Unionist Association that he would not be fit to stand as a parliamentary candidate at future elections. In July 1921 he was judged bankrupt and it emerged in court that £10,000 excess profits duty had been made against his business and that he owed £56,000 to creditors while having assets of only £3,150. Newton Knights explained that much of the loss could be attributed to his unsuccessful speculation on the metal exchange. He had also not been able to pay for the hire of the state coach while serving as sheriff of the City. As an undischarged bankrupt, Newton Knights was ineligible to sit in the Commons, and resigned his seat on 9 January 1922 through appointment as Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds.
, Blackheath
in October 1959 aged 87, and was cremated at Eltham Crematorium.
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
businessman and Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician.
Business
Knights, a resident of DulwichDulwich
Dulwich is an area of South London, England. The settlement is mostly in the London Borough of Southwark with parts in the London Borough of Lambeth...
in south east London, started an engineering business in 1908. In 1911 he purchased the Astbury Engineering Works, Peckham
Peckham
Peckham is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Southwark. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London...
, as a going concern. During the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
he manufactured Stokes bombs
Stokes Mortar
The Stokes mortar was a British trench mortar invented by Sir Wilfred Stokes KBE which was issued to the British Army and the Commonwealth armies during the latter half of the First World War.-History:...
for the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
. He was also active in the Volunteer Force, a home defence organisation, holding the rank of captain. He was awarded the MBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in the 1918 Birthday honours. In 1918 he was one of the founding directors of the British And South African Insurance Corporation. In the following year the new company merged with the British and Australasian Insurance Company to form the Greater Britain Insurance Corporation, with Newton Knights as chairman. He resigned in March 1921.
Local politics
He entered local politics, and was elected to Camberwell Borough CouncilMetropolitan Borough of Camberwell
Camberwell was a civil parish and metropolitan borough in the County of London. The borough was created in 1900 by the London Government Act 1899, covering the area of the ancient parish of Camberwell...
as a member of the Conservative-backed Municipal Reform Party
Municipal Reform Party
The Municipal Reform Party was a local party allied to the parliamentary Conservative Party in the County of London. The party contested elections to both the London County Council and metropolitan borough councils of the county from 1906 to 1945.-Formation:...
. He was mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Camberwell in 1913–1914.
He was co-opted on 15 October 1918 onto the London County Council
London County Council
London County Council was the principal local government body for the County of London, throughout its 1889–1965 existence, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today known as Inner London and was replaced by the Greater London Council...
by the Municipal Reform
Municipal Reform Party
The Municipal Reform Party was a local party allied to the parliamentary Conservative Party in the County of London. The party contested elections to both the London County Council and metropolitan borough councils of the county from 1906 to 1945.-Formation:...
party to represent the Dulwich
Dulwich (UK Parliament constituency)
Dulwich was a borough constituency in the Dulwich area of South London, which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
division of the Borough of Camberwell.
He held the office of Sheriff of the City of London in 1920 – 1921.
Member of parliament
He was elected as a Coalition Conservative Member of ParliamentMember of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for Camberwell North
Camberwell North (UK Parliament constituency)
Camberwell North was a borough constituency located in the Metropolitan Borough of Camberwell, in South London. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
at the 1918 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1918
The United Kingdom general election of 1918 was the first to be held after the Representation of the People Act 1918, which meant it was the first United Kingdom general election in which nearly all adult men and some women could vote. Polling was held on 14 December 1918, although the count did...
.
Illness and bankruptcy
In April 1921 his family issued an appeal for information on his whereabouts when he failed to return from a visit to FolkestoneFolkestone
Folkestone is the principal town in the Shepway District of Kent, England. Its original site was in a valley in the sea cliffs and it developed through fishing and its closeness to the Continent as a landing place and trading port. The coming of the railways, the building of a ferry port, and its...
a week earlier. He was eventually discovered a week later on a roadside between Dymchurch
Dymchurch
Dymchurch is a village and civil parish in the Shepway District of Kent, England. The village is located on the coast five miles south-west of Hythe, and on the Romney Marsh. It is typical of this part of the coast, having been a village which became larger during the 1930s...
and Hythe
Hythe
Hythe may refer to a landing-place, port or haven, or to:Placenames in Canada*Hythe, Alberta Placenames in England*Hythe, Essex *Hythe, Hampshire...
, having suffered a nervous breakdown
Nervous breakdown
Mental breakdown is a non-medical term used to describe an acute, time-limited phase of a specific disorder that presents primarily with features of depression or anxiety.-Definition:...
and unable to give any account of his movements. Admitted to a Kent nursing home, he resigned as sheriff a month later. In June 1921 he informed the North Camberwell Unionist Association that he would not be fit to stand as a parliamentary candidate at future elections. In July 1921 he was judged bankrupt and it emerged in court that £10,000 excess profits duty had been made against his business and that he owed £56,000 to creditors while having assets of only £3,150. Newton Knights explained that much of the loss could be attributed to his unsuccessful speculation on the metal exchange. He had also not been able to pay for the hire of the state coach while serving as sheriff of the City. As an undischarged bankrupt, Newton Knights was ineligible to sit in the Commons, and resigned his seat on 9 January 1922 through appointment as Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds.
Death
He died at Morden CollegeMorden College
Morden College is a long-standing charity which has been providing residential care in Blackheath, south-east London, England for over 300 years.It was founded by philanthropist Sir John Morden in 1695 as a home for 'poor Merchants.....
, Blackheath
Blackheath, London
Blackheath is a district of South London, England. It is named from the large open public grassland which separates it from Greenwich to the north and Lewisham to the west...
in October 1959 aged 87, and was cremated at Eltham Crematorium.