'The ancientest Parliament man in England'
His surname is known as both 'Knollys' and 'Knowles'.
Knowles sought his fortune privateering in the West Indies, was captain of the ship Leicester, and served as rear admiral under Sir Humphrey Gilbert in 1578 and Sir Francis Drake in 1585. He was a member of Parliament eight times between 1572 and 1640, and was knighted in December 1587.
Described as 'Sir Francis Knowles, knight, of the City of London', he married Lettice Barret, gentlewoman, of St Clement Danes, in the Church of All Hallows-by-the-Tower on December 26, 1588, with a license issued by the Bishop of London on December 21, 1588. She was a daughter of James Barret, mayor of Tenby in Pembrokeshire, by his wife Jonet Llychwr, and a granddaughter of Harry Barret, esquire, lord of Pendine, and his wife Catrin ferch Trahaearn, and also of Thomas Llychwr, mayor of Tenby, by his wife Mawd ferch Rhys.
Francis later resided chiefly at his estate called Battle Manor which lay across the Thames from Reading in Berkshire. In 1637 he had erected in the Parish Church of St Laurence an adjunct known as Knowles' Transept on the south side of the edifice about midway between the south door and the west end of the nave, 'for the peculiar use of himself and his posteritie, as well as for their seates there, as for their burial-place underneath.' The remains of the family were to have been removed at the demolition of that structure, but it was never done, and the outer pavement now covers the graves of numerous members of this family.
'The ancientest Parliament man in England'
His surname is known as both 'Knollys' and 'Knowles'.
Knowles sought his fortune privateering in the West Indies, was captain of the ship Leicester, and served as rear admiral under Sir Humphrey Gilbert in 1578 and Sir Francis Drake in 1585. He was a member of Parliament eight times between 1572 and 1640, and was knighted in December 1587.
Described as 'Sir Francis Knowles, knight, of the City of London', he married Lettice Barret, gentlewoman, of St Clement Danes, in the Church of All Hallows-by-the-Tower on December 26, 1588, with a license issued by the Bishop of London on December 21, 1588. She was a daughter of James Barret, mayor of Tenby in Pembrokeshire, by his wife Jonet Llychwr, and a granddaughter of Harry Barret, esquire, lord of Pendine, and his wife Catrin ferch Trahaearn, and also of Thomas Llychwr, mayor of Tenby, by his wife Mawd ferch Rhys.
Francis later resided chiefly at his estate called Battle Manor which lay across the Thames from Reading in Berkshire. In 1637 he had erected in the Parish Church of St Laurence an adjunct known as Knowles' Transept on the south side of the edifice about midway between the south door and the west end of the nave, 'for the peculiar use of himself and his posteritie, as well as for their seates there, as for their burial-place underneath.' The remains of the family were to have been removed at the demolition of that structure, but it was never done, and the outer pavement now covers the graves of numerous members of this family.
Family Members
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