Sir Lees Knowles, 1st Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir Lees Knowles, 1st Baronet, (16 February 1857 - 7 October 1928) was a British
barrister
, military historian
and Conservative
politician.
He was the son of John Knowles and Elizabeth Lees of Green Bank, Oldham
, Lancashire
whose family owned Andrew Knowles and Sons
, collieries in the Irwell Valley
. He was educated at Rugby School
and at Trinity College, Cambridge
. He was a prominent athlete at both institutions and became president of the Cambridge University Athletics Club. He studied law, and was called to the bar at Lincoln's Inn
in 1882.
He was involved in Unionist politics, and stood unsuccessfully for the Conservatives at Leigh
in the 1885 general election
.
In the following year, another general election was held
, and Knowles was returned as Member of Parliament
for Salford West
. From 1887 to 1892 he held an appointment as unpaid parliamentary secretary to Charles Ritchie, President of the Local Government Board
. He held a similar post when Ritchie became President of the Board of Trade in 1895. From 1896 to 1906 he was Second Church Estates Commissioner
. In 1903 he was created a baronet, "of Westwood in the County of Lancaster". His parliamentary career came to an end when he lost his seat at the 1906 general election
.
Knowles had a great interest in military history, and wrote a number of books on the life of Napoleon. In 1912 he made a bequest to his alma mater
, Trinity College. This established the Lees Knowles Lectureship, an annual series of talks on military science given by distinguished military and naval figures.
He held a commission as an officer in the Volunteer Force
and its successor the Territorial Force
, reaching the rank of lieutenant-colonel. At various times he commanded the 3rd, 7th and 8th battalion
s of the Lancashire Fusiliers
. He subsequently became the vice-chairman of the Lancashire Territorial Army Association.
In 1915 he married Lady Nina Ogilvy, youngest daughter of the 10th Earl of Seafield. They had no children.
Knowles was a philanthropist
, supporting a number of charities, notably the Guinness Trust for Housing the Poor
. He died in October 1928, aged 71.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
, military historian
Military history
Military history is a humanities discipline within the scope of general historical recording of armed conflict in the history of humanity, and its impact on the societies, their cultures, economies and changing intra and international relationships....
and Conservative
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.
He was the son of John Knowles and Elizabeth Lees of Green Bank, Oldham
Oldham
Oldham is a large town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amid the Pennines on elevated ground between the rivers Irk and Medlock, south-southeast of Rochdale, and northeast of the city of Manchester...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
whose family owned Andrew Knowles and Sons
Andrew Knowles and Sons
Andrew Knowles and Sons was a coal mining company that operated in and around Clifton, Greater Manchester, then in the historic county of Lancashire. England....
, collieries in the Irwell Valley
Irwell Valley
The Irwell Valley extends from the Forest of Rossendale in North West England, through to the cities of Salford and Manchester. The River Irwell runs through the valley, along with the River Croal.-Geology:...
. He was educated at Rugby School
Rugby School
Rugby School is a co-educational day and boarding school located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, England. It is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain.-History:...
and at Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
. He was a prominent athlete at both institutions and became president of the Cambridge University Athletics Club. He studied law, and was called to the bar at Lincoln's Inn
Lincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are called to the Bar. The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn. Although Lincoln's Inn is able to trace its official records beyond...
in 1882.
He was involved in Unionist politics, and stood unsuccessfully for the Conservatives at Leigh
Leigh (UK Parliament constituency)
Leigh is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
in the 1885 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1885
-Seats summary:-See also:*List of MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1885*Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885–1918*Representation of the People Act 1884*Redistribution of Seats Act 1885-References:...
.
In the following year, another general election was held
United Kingdom general election, 1886
-Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the UK general election, 1886*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**...
, and Knowles was returned as Member of Parliament
Member 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,...
for Salford West
Salford West (UK Parliament constituency)
Salford West was a parliamentary constituency in the City of Salford in Greater Manchester from 1885 until 1983. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.- History :...
. From 1887 to 1892 he held an appointment as unpaid parliamentary secretary to Charles Ritchie, President of the Local Government Board
President of the Local Government Board
The President of the Local Government Board was a ministerial post, frequently a Cabinet position, in the United Kingdom, established in 1871. The Local Government Board itself was established in 1871 and took over supervisory functions from the Board of Trade and the Home Office, including the...
. He held a similar post when Ritchie became President of the Board of Trade in 1895. From 1896 to 1906 he was Second Church Estates Commissioner
Church Commissioners
The Church Commissioners is a body managing the historic property assets of the Church of England. It was set up in 1948 combining the assets of Queen Anne's Bounty, a fund dating from 1704 for the relief of poor clergy, and of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners formed in 1836...
. In 1903 he was created a baronet, "of Westwood in the County of Lancaster". His parliamentary career came to an end when he lost his seat at the 1906 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1906
-Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1906*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-External links:***-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**...
.
Knowles had a great interest in military history, and wrote a number of books on the life of Napoleon. In 1912 he made a bequest to his alma mater
Alma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
, Trinity College. This established the Lees Knowles Lectureship, an annual series of talks on military science given by distinguished military and naval figures.
He held a commission as an officer in the Volunteer Force
Volunteer Force (Great Britain)
The Volunteer Force was a citizen army of part-time rifle, artillery and engineer corps, created as a popular movement in 1859. Originally highly autonomous, the units of volunteers became increasingly integrated with the British Army after the Childers Reforms in 1881, before forming part of the...
and its successor the Territorial Force
Territorial Force
The Territorial Force was the volunteer reserve component of the British Army from 1908 to 1920, when it became the Territorial Army.-Origins:...
, reaching the rank of lieutenant-colonel. At various times he commanded the 3rd, 7th and 8th battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
s of the Lancashire Fusiliers
Lancashire Fusiliers
The Lancashire Fusiliers was a British infantry regiment that was amalgamated with other Fusilier regiments in 1968 to form the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.- Formation and early history:...
. He subsequently became the vice-chairman of the Lancashire Territorial Army Association.
In 1915 he married Lady Nina Ogilvy, youngest daughter of the 10th Earl of Seafield. They had no children.
Knowles was a philanthropist
Philanthropy
Philanthropy etymologically means "the love of humanity"—love in the sense of caring for, nourishing, developing, or enhancing; humanity in the sense of "what it is to be human," or "human potential." In modern practical terms, it is "private initiatives for public good, focusing on quality of...
, supporting a number of charities, notably the Guinness Trust for Housing the Poor
Guinness Trust
The Guinness Trust is the oldest member of the Guinness Partnership, a group of housing associations. It is a UK registered charity providing affordable housing....
. He died in October 1928, aged 71.