William Knighton
Sir William Knighton, 1st Baronet, was a society and royal physician who later became Private Secretary to the Sovereign under George IV.
Life
Early life
Knighton was born in 1776 at Bere Ferrers, Devon - the third generation of that name - into a family of well-to-do and literate yeomen-farmers. By a second advantageous marriage, his grandfather joined the ranks of the landed gentry and raised a second family so designated, while his first, elder son remained a 'farmer'. This distinction, in that era's highly stratified society, sparked Knighton's self admitted will-to-succeed – the more so since he apparently retained a distorted version of early events.At around twelve Knighton was sent to a boarding school at Newton Bushell in East Devon, where he spent some four years acquiring literacy, arithmetic, Greek and Latin. In September, 1793, he was apprenticed to Dr. William Bredall of Tavistock, a surgeon-apothocary with a wide and diverse practice who was also the husband of Knighton's aunt, Mary. Bredall's training and example deeply influenced Knighton's subsequent career. During this period he also made two important professional contacts: contemporary Stephen Hammick, who was training at the Royal Naval Hospital at Plymouth, and Dr Francis Geach, its senior surgeon. Geach started him writing up case notes, which were the only means by which an experienced physician could evaluate a student, and was a vital tool to communicating with contemporaries.
War broke out between France and England in 1793; in 1795 his step-aunt Frances' husband arranged a commission for Knighton as a second lieutenant in the Tavistock Volunteer Corps. While probably expensive, this commission conferred several benefits: it exempted him from militia service ; it prevented deployment overseas while allowing him to continue his apprenticeship, and it conferred status as an officer and gentleman.
Career
He spent two years at Guy's Hospital, London, and received a diploma from the University of St Andrews in 1797. In that year he was assistant surgeon at the Royal Naval Hospital Plymouth, and then commenced private practice, initially in Devonport, in London from 1803, then briefly Edinburgh, and in London again from 1806. In 1809 he was medical officer to the embassy to Spain of Henry Wellesley.He was physician to the Prince of Wales in 1810. He was also auditor of the Duchy of Lancaster, and from 1821 to 1830 was private secretary to the king and formally Keeper of the Privy Purse. In an almost unprecedented move, the king surrendered control of his financial affairs to Knighton in 1822, on account of his enormous debts, in which year Knighton retired from private practice. After three years, in 1825, Knighton declared that the king was free of debt. He had an unparalleled influence over the king, and letters from him to Knighton were addressed "M D F," unlike the normal third person that was associated with the sovereign.
In addition, Knighton studied at the University of Edinburgh for three years. He received MDs from the University of Aberdeen in 1806, from the Archbishop of Canterbury, and from the University of Göttingen in 1821.
He was created a baronet on 1 January 1813.
He died on 11 October 1836 at Stratford Place in London, and is buried in Kensal Green Cemetery.