Thomas Knight

Thomas Knight (c. 1701 – 26 February 1781), previously Thomas Brodnax (1701–1726) and Thomas May (1727–1738), of Godmersham Park, Kent, was an English landowner and Tory politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1734 to 1741.

Early life

Knight was the son of William Brodnax of Godmersham, Kent, and his second wife Anne May, daughter of Christopher May of Greenwich. In 1726, he succeeded his father in the family estate at Godmersham. Also in 1726, he succeeded his cousin Dame Anne May in the May estates at Rawmere, Sussex, and changed his name by a private act of Parliament, (13 Geo. 1. c. 4 ) to May. He married Jane Monke, daughter of William Monke of Buckingham House, Shoreham, He served as Sheriff of Kent for 1729. In 1738, he changed his name by Act of Parliament to Knight after inheriting the Chawton estates under the will of Elizabeth Knight, widow of Bulstrode Knight (who was her second husband, her first being William Woodward Knight. of Dean).

Later life and legacy

Knight retired to his seat at Godmersham and in 1742 he enclosed a park round it. He died at Godmersham in 1781. Although he and his wife had five sons and five daughters, only three daughters and a son survived. His son Thomas inherited the estate and was later MP for Kent.

Knight was described as "a gentleman, whose eminent worth is still remembered by many now living; whose high character for upright conduct and integrity, rendered his life as honorable as it was good, and caused his death to be lamented by every one as a public loss".