A. R. Knapp

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Sir Arthur Rowland Knapp CBE CSI KCIE (10 December 1870 – 22 May 1954) was a British civil servant who served as the Revenue Member of the Executive Council of the Governor of Madras from 1923 to 1926.

Early life[]

Arthur Knapp was born at Woolston in 1870 to Lt Col. Charles Barrett Knapp. He was educated at Westminster School and Christ Church, Oxford. He married Florence Annie Moore on 9 August 1899 at Madras, India.[1] His wife Florence was the daughter of Edward Moore, DD Principal of St Edmunds Hall Oxford.[1]

His daughter Margaret Elfreda Knapp was married to the prominent Royal Navy officer and Director of Naval Intelligence Anthony Buzzard, and the theologian Anthony F. Buzzard is his grandson.[2]

Career[]

A Knapp joined the Indian civil service in 1891 and served as Assistant Collector and magistrate, Malabar district, Madras. In 1899, he was appointed Under-secretary in the Board of Revenue rising to become Secretary.His inexperience and lack of understanding about the nuances of local culture led to a lot of his administrative reforms being ineffective and unpopular.It is believed that even after he was long gone from Malabar, Sir Knapp’s name became synonymous with incompetence; eventually being assimilated into Malayalam as Knappan. 

Knapp was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1919,[3] invested as a Companion, Order of the Star of India (C.S.I.)[4] in 1922 and Knight Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire in the 1924 New Year Honours list.[5]

Legislative Council[]

In 1923, Knapp was nominated to the Madras Legislative Council and served from 1923 to 1926.

Death[]

Knapp died on 22 May 1954 at the age of 83.

References[]

  1. ^ a b url=http://www.thepeerage.com/p43991.htm#c439909.1%7C
  2. ^ url=http://www.thepeerage.com/p19717.htm#i197164%7C
  3. ^ "Supplement" (PDF). London Gazette. 3 June 1919. p. 7051.
  4. ^ Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes. Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A.: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003 volume 1, page 628
  5. ^ "Supplement" (PDF). London Gazette. 1 January 1924. p. 5.
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