Editing James Thomas Knowles (1831–1908)

{{Short description|English architect and journal editor}}
{{For|his father|James Thomas Knowles (1806–1884)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}

'''Sir James Thomas Knowles''' {{postnominals|country=GBR|KCVO}} (13 October 1831 – 13 February 1908) was an English [[architect]] and [[editing|editor]].<ref>{{cite DNB12 |last=Lee |first=Sidney |wstitle=Knowles, James Thomas}}</ref> He was intimate with the poet [[Alfred, Lord Tennyson]] and the founder of the [[Metaphysical Society]] to encourage rapprochement between religion and science.

==Life==
James Knowles was born in [[London]], the son of the architect [[James Thomas Knowles (1806–1884)]], and himself trained in architecture at [[University College, London|University College]] and in [[Italy]]. Among the buildings he designed were three churches in [[Clapham]], South London, [[Mark Masons' Hall, London]] (later the Thatched House Club), [[Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson|Lord Tennyson's]] house at [[Blackdown, Sussex|Aldworth]], the [[Leicester Square]] garden (as restored at the expense of [[Albert Grant (company promoter)|Albert Grant]]), Albert Mansions, [[Victoria Street, London|Victoria Street]] in Westminster,<ref name=dodsley>James Dodsley (1909), ''The Annual Register'', digitized by Google</ref> and an 1882 enlargement of the Royal Sea Bathing Hospital at [[Margate]] in [[Kent]].<ref name=HarryWells>Harry Wells, "Mark Masons' Hall, 86 St. James's Street: A brief history of the present building", 28 May 2015 [http://www.glmmm.com/Lists/Announcements/Attachments/161/86%20St%20James's%20Street%20History%201865-2015.pdf (online)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150705101044/http://www.glmmm.com/Lists/Announcements/Attachments/161/86%20St%20James%27s%20Street%20History%201865-2015.pdf |date=5 July 2015 }}, access date 4 July 2015</ref>

However, he also developed a literary career. In 1860 he published ''The Story of King Arthur''. In 1866 he was introduced to [[Alfred Lord Tennyson]] and later agreed to design his new house with the condition that there was not any fee. This resulted in a close friendship, Knowles assisting Tennyson with business matters, and among other things helping to design scenery for the play ''The Cup'', when [[Henry Irving]] produced it in 1880.<ref name="EB1911">{{EB1911|inline=y|wstitle=Knowles, Sir James|volume=15|pages=876–877}}</ref>

Knowles corresponded with a number of the most interesting men of the day, and in 1869, with Tennyson's cooperation, he initiated the [[Metaphysical Society]], the object of which was to attempt some intellectual rapprochement between religion and science by inviting major representatives of faith and unfaith to meet and exchange opinions.<ref name="EB1911"/> Members included Tennyson, [[William Ewart Gladstone|Gladstone]], [[William Kingdon Clifford|W. K. Clifford]], [[W. G. Ward]], [[John Morley]], [[Henry Edward Manning|Cardinal Manning]], [[William Thomson, Archbishop of York|Archbishop Thomson]], [[T. H. Huxley]], [[Arthur Balfour]], [[Leslie Stephen]], and [[Sir William Gull, 1st Baronet|Sir William Gull]].<ref name=dodsley/> The society included many men who became contributors to magazines edited by Knowles.

In 1870 he succeeded [[Dean Alford]] as editor of the ''[[Contemporary Review]]'', but quit it in 1877 owing to the objection of the proprietors to the inclusion of articles (by W. K. Clifford notably) attacking Theism, and he initiated the ''[[Nineteenth Century (periodical)|Nineteenth Century]]'' (to the title of which, in 1901, were added the words ''And After''). Both periodicals became influential while he was editor of them, and were the new sort of monthly review which replaced the popularity of the quarterlies.<ref name="EB1911"/> For example, it helped halt the Channel Tunnel project, by publishing a protest signed by many distinguished men in 1882. In 1904 he received a knighthood. He was a considerable collector of works of art.

Knowles was married twice, first in 1860 to Jane Borradaile, then in 1865 to Isabel Hewlett. He died in [[Brighton]] and was buried at the [[Cemeteries and crematoria in Brighton and Hove|Brighton Extra Mural Cemetery]].<ref name=dodsley/>

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Gutenberg author | id=4874| name=James Knowles}}
*{{Internet Archive author |sname=James Knowles |birth=1831 |death=1908}}
* {{Librivox author |13383}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Knowles, James}}
[[Category:1831 births]]
[[Category:1908 deaths]]
[[Category:Alumni of University College London]]
[[Category:Burials at West Norwood Cemetery]]
[[Category:19th-century English architects]]
[[Category:English magazine editors]]
[[Category:Knights Commander of the Royal Victorian Order]]
[[Category:Architects from London]]
[[Category:English male non-fiction writers]]