Tavernor Knott WSA (occasionally written Taverner Knott) (12 May 1816 – 25 January 1900) was a Scottish portrait and genre artist. He was the paternal uncle of Cargill Gilston Knott.[1]
32 York Place, Edinburgh
He was born in Aberdeen in 1816 the son of John Knott (b.1754), a music teacher, and his wife Sophia Pelham. His family (including a sister Sophia M. Knott and brother Tavernor Knott) appear to have moved to 2 St Patrick Square in Edinburgh around 1830.[2]
In 1839 Knott is listed as a portrait painter living at 2 St Patrick Square in Edinburgh's South Side.[3] As the main householder it must be presumed that his father was now dead.
On 3 May 1878 he is listed as a Master Mason of the Humber Lodge, at that date being affiliated also as a member of the Celtic Lodge (2 Brodie's Close on the Lawnmarket).[4]
On 1 December 1879 a page in William Gladstone’s diary indicates that he wrote to Tavernor Knott from Taymouth Castle shortly before visiting Edinburgh.[5] This appears to have led to a commission as a portrait of Gladstone is amongst his known works.[6]
In later life Tavernor's address was 32 York Place in Edinburgh's First New Town.[7] He died in Portobello on 25 January, 1900.
