RIGMAKnight
ALBERT KNIGHT 1878-
Grand Master 1936-1937
BIOGRAPHY
At the annual communication of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge held in Providence on Monday, May 18, 1936, What Cheer Lodge, No. 21, was honored by the election to the office of Grand Master of one of its best known members, upon whom the duties of that distinguished position in the Grand Jurisdiction of Rhode Island was worthily bestowed, after many years of faithful service in subordinate positions.
Brother Albert Knight, the son of Allen and Eliza (Haigh) Knight, was born in Huddersfield, England, on April 10. 1878, and arrived in Providence when about nine years of age. His education was obtained in the public schools of Providence and from private tuition. He was united in marriage to Miss Minnie May Lamont of Belmont, Mass., on January 23. 1901. One daughter, Mrs. James A. Fletcher, was born November 5, 1907. Mrs. Knight passed away November 22, 1915.
On March 7, 1927, he was married to Miss Nellie M. Young, of Barrington, R. I., who died May 21, 1931.
For a few years after leaving school he was engaged in varied lines of business endeavor, but since 1897 he has been connected with The Workingman's Loan Association of Providence, a Remedial Loan Association, and an institution founded for the purpose of rendering temporary aid in accordance with sound business principles to those whose needs require it. The Providence Association, of which Bro. Knight has been Assistant Manager for the past thirty-six years, is one of a group of similar organizations located in many of our large cities. Wherever they exist their value is recognized, and they have the support of the churches and charitable and philanthropic people generally.
Brother Knight was raised in What Cheer Lodge, No. 21, June 4. 1897. being No. 915 on the roll of members, lie was elected Wor. Master on November 30, 1910, and served for one year. In 1919 he was elected Secretary of the Lodge and has ably filled the exacting duties of that position for the last eighteen years, and also served as Editor of "The What Cheer Trestleboard" for the same period. He is a member of the Masonic Press Association, U. S. A. In the year 1932 he was elected a member of the Philalethes Society of the U. S. A., an organization composed of Masonic writers, governed by a Board of Forty Fellows. On November 30, 1915, he received a gold medal for services in the manifold interests of the Lodge.
In Grand Lodge, after service as a member of the Committee on Foreign Correspondence, Grand Marshal and Grand Lecturer, he was appointed District Deputy Grand Master of the Seventh Masonic District by M. W. Edwin O. Chase in May, 1928, and by regular promotions reached the exalted position of Most Worshipful Grand Master on May 18, 1936.
He is a member of the Committee for the celebration of the 150th Anniversary of Grand Lodge in 1911, and on May 17, 1937, was appointed to serve on Committee on Jurisprudence of Grand Lodge. He was the recipient of the Henry Price Medal on May 15, 1937, from the hands of Brother Claude L. Allen, M. W. Grand Master of Massachusetts, for distinguished service. He received honorary membership in the National Masonic Clubs of the United States at a meeting in Philadelphia in March, 1937.
He was one of the founders of the Masonic Secretaries Guild of Rhode Island in 1921 and has been its President for the past thirteen years. A member of Rhode Island Past Masters' Association, Masonic Veterans' Association of Rhode Island, and an honorary member of Kingston Lodge, No. 1933, E. C., Kingston, Jamaica, B. W. I. He is also the Grand Representative of the Grand Lodge of New York.
In the Capitular Rite he received the degrees in Providence R. A. Chapter, No. 1, R. A. M., in December, 1897 and January, 1898, and on November 16, 1905, was elected Ex. High Priest. For several years he served and is now serving as Rt. E. Grand Chaplain of the Grand R. A. Chapter of Rhode Island.
In 1934 and 1935 he was elected President of the R. I. Convention of Anointed High Priests, and served that body with marked success. He is the Grand Representative of the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of New Hampshire near the Grand R. A. Chapter of Rhode Island.
In Cryptic Rite Masonry he received the several degrees in Providence Council, No. 1, R. & S. M., in 1898; was elected T. I. Master on January 9, 1903, and since January 13, 1904, has served as Chaplain of that body.
In 1932, in recognition of his long and valuable services as Chaplain Providence Council, No. 1, presented him with a Chaplain's gold jewel In the Grand Council of R. & S. M. of Rhode Island he was elected M. I. Grand Master, 1909-1910; he is chairman of the Finance Committee, and also served as Grand lecturer for several years. He is the Grand Representative of the Grand Council of California and the Grand Council of Massachusetts. , In Knights Templarism lie received the orders of Knighthood in St. Johns Commandery. No. 1, K. T., in September, 1901, served a few years as guard and served as Prelate from October, 1932 to 1936.
In the A. A. Scottish Rite of the N. M. J. he received the various degrees in the Valley of Providence, having attained the thirty-second degree on December 28, 1904.
He was made a Tall Cedar of Lebanon "at sight" in Massasoit Forest, West Barrington. in May, 1936.
Brother Knight is a life member in each of the Masonic bodies with which he is identified. For diversion he has been an interested philatelist for many years and some of his spare time is used with that "hobby".
While many years of service have been given by our brother in the Fraternity, he has rendered a great service in the religious field. While a member of the Broadway Baptist Church in Providence, he was for a period of five years Superintendent of the Sunday School, at that time the largest in Rhode Island. In 1914 he united with the First Baptist Church, Providence, in which he is a Deacon. He is also a number of the Charitable Baptist Society and a member of the Committee on House. In the state activities of the di nomination he :s serving as Auditor of the It. I. Baptist Education Society, of which he is a life member. In the R. I. Baptist State Convention he is ii life member, a member of the Board of Managers, and the Historical Registrar. He was a co-founder of the Ten-Eleven Club, of which the writer is an interested member. He is also an active member of the British Empire Club of Providence.
It will be seen that our brother has been active in real service for the brethren. Whatever task he has undertaken in any position has been well done, and in such service he has never sought to spare his time or energy. The writer of this sketch has known Brother Knight intimately for over forty years, and can testify to his Christian character, efficiency in planning, fraternal interest, and unwavering fidelity to any cause that he espouses. To the office of Grand Master he brought long experience as an executive, an editor, a speaker, a fraternalist, and gave cheerful and unstinted service with strict fidelity to the principles and teachings of our ancient craft.
