Basic Biographical Details

Name:	Knight & Kerr
Designation:
Born:	1855
Died:	1861
Bio Notes:	John George Knight was born in 1824. He practised in Melbourne in partnership with Thomas Kemp until 1855 when Kemp returned to England. He then took Peter Kerr into partnership. Kerr was born in Aberdeen on 21 August 1820, son of James Kerr, shipmaster and leather merchant, and his wife Helen Chesney. He served his articles with Archibald Simpson for four years from 1839, thereafter working in the office of George Fowler Jones in York. In 1845 he was engaged by the Duke of Sutherland to implement Sir Charles Barry's plans for the remodelling and extension of Dunrobin Castle. These had not fitted the site and the Duke twice revised them in collaboration with the Aberdeen architect and contractor William Leslie, under whom Kerr presumably acted as draughtsman. By 1848 Kerr had found a place in Barry's London office, and shortly after the end of the Palace of Westminster works in February 1852 Kerr emigrated to Melbourne, probably as a result of a recommendation from Barry to Kemp who, like Kerr, had assisted in his office. In 1858-59 Knight & Kerr designed the Melbourne Council and Assembly Chambers and the Library of the Houses of Parliament following the abandonment of the competition-winning scheme by Smith& Pritchard. The scheme was essentially Kerr's, Knight being an engineer. Knight was first president of the Victorian Institute of Architects and was admitted FRIBA on 21 January 1861, but shortly thereafter Kerr left the practice to become a pastoralist and tour other colonies, Knight closing the practice c.1865-66 to undertake exhibition work. Knight died in 1896.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
	Address	Type	Date from	Date to	Notes
	Melbourne, Australia	Business

Employment and Training

Employees or Pupils

The following individuals were employed or trained by this (click on an item to view details):
	Name	Date from	Date to	Position	Notes
	Peter Kerr	1855	1861	Partner
	John George Knight	1855	1861	Partner

Buildings and Designs

This was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details):
	Date started	Building name	Town, district or village	Island	City or county	Country	Notes
	1858	Council and Assembly Chambers and the Library of the Houses of Parliament			Melbourne	Australia

References

Currently, there are no references for this . The information has been derived from: the British Architectural Library / RIBA Directory of British Architects 1834-1914; Post Office Directories; and/or any sources listed under this individual's works.