Knighton, Sir William (1776-1836)

2 autographs (nos.1-2) and 4 letters by Sir William Knighton (1776-1836) numbered 3-6.

Letter to 'My Lord' of 1 Nov 1814 prescribing for his Lordships stomach, unknown recipiant (no.3); Letter of 6 April 1823 re paying Mrs Gaunt from the Privy Purse (no.4); Letter to Sir Robert Peel (1788-1850), a British Conservative statesman, re the lamented death of Sir Thomas Lawrence (1769-1830), president of the Royal Academy (no.5); and a letter to Dr Southey advising him not to become the travelling physician to a Duchess and recommending Dr. Burn for the post. (no.6).

Purchased from: Puttick & Simpson, June 1921 (acc.67262); Glendining, London, February 1932 (acc.67677); Glendining, London, January 1932 (acc.67619); Sotheby's, London, December 1934 (acc.67487); Mrs. Watson, Burnley, March 1945 (acc.72200), presumably once part of the Thomas Madden Stone autograph collection.

Sir William Knighton, first baronet, courtier and physician was born in 1776 in Devon. He studied medicine at first under his uncle, Dr Bredall, a surgeon and then spent two years at Guy's Hospital in London where he studied anatomy and surgery. In 1797 he obtained an assistant surgeon's post at the Royal Naval Hospital in Plymouth. After he realized that his medical education was not sufficient to meet the requirements of the Royal College of Physicians, Knighton studied at the University of Edinburgh for three more years. He received MD from the University of Aberdeen in 1806 and a degree from the Archbishop of Canterbury. In June 1806 he was admitted a licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians.

In 1810 Knighton became physician to the Prince of Wales and in 1812 he was created a baronet. He was also auditor of the duchy of Cornwall and the Duchy of Lancaster. In 1822 Knighton gave up his medical practice and devoted himself fully to the king's (George IV) service as Keeper of the Privy Purse, his private secretary and a close friend. The King entrusted him with his financial and private affairs which Knighton managed very successfully. He had a great influence over George IV and was highly esteemed by the Royal Family

Sir William Knighton died on 11 October 1836.

At Wellcome Collection

Sir William Knighton. Stipple engraving by S. Cousins after Sir T. Lawrence (Closed stores Iconographic); Sir William Knighton. Line engraving by W. Greatbatch, 1838, after Sir T. Lawrence (Closed stores Iconographic); Physicians expressing their thanks to influenza. Coloured etching attributed to Temple West, 1803 (Closed stores Iconographic); Observations on the use of mercury in putrid fevers, and the putrid and ulcerated sore throat by Sir William Knighton (Closed stores EPB / P 31048/P); Sir William Knighton : the strange career of a Regency physician by Charlotte Frost (Biographies BZP); Memoirs of Sir William Knighton, bart., G.C.H., keeper of the privy purse during the reign of His Majesty King George the Fourth. Including his correspondence with many distinguished personages by Lady Knighton (Closed stores EPB / B 31382/B Vol. 1 and Vol.2); Sir William Knighton, Bart., 1776-1836 : physician and courtier by G.S. Thomas (Serials /HIS Vol. 16-19 1951-55); Sir William Knighton, Bart., M.D., G.C.H. by William Munk (Collection BYD.41 /MUN; Closed stores EPB Hunt. /MUN; Closed stores Hist. 2 (RMR) BYD.41).

Archive material: MS.8808 (5); MS.7875 (f. 31v);