Mary Knight

Mary Knight (1631 – in or after 1698) was an English singer and poet.

Life Knight was baptised in 1631 in the parish of St. Gregory, near St. Paul's Cathedral. Her father was Stephen Knight and her half brother was Henry Birkhead and Knight's mother had been married to John Birkhead before she married Knight's father. Her mother was said to have had eleven children but only she and her half brother survived childhood. Her half brother was educated by Thomas Farnabie and at Trinity College, Oxford.

Knight's education in singing seems to have happened later in her life. She was married first to Henry Geery at St Peter Paul's Wharf on 30 July 1649. They may have had a son but the marriage appears to have been abandoned as Knight was not referred to as Mrs or Mary Geery after this but as Mary Knight. In 1655 Lawes published his Second Book of Ayres and Dialogues and he included poems by Knight as well as verses by Sir John Berkenhead and the poet Katherine Philips. but there appears to be no evidence. By the time of The Restoration of Charles II she was a famous singer and she was acknowledged in that role at court.

It is not clear when Knight died but it was either in 1698 or after thus date.