Background
Born into the Knollys family, he was the son of General William Woods Knollys and Charlotte Martha Blackwell.
Born into the Knollys family, he was the son of General William Woods Knollys and Charlotte Martha Blackwell.
He was educated at Harrow School and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.
Knollys was commissioned into the 3rd Foot Guards in 1813 and fought in the Peninsular War later that year. In 1854 he was appointed Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey and then in 1855 he became the first General Officer Commanding Aldershot Division and was allocated the task of organising his troops into Divisions and Brigades. In 1862 he was appointed Treasurer and Comptroller to the Household of Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII. In 1877 he became Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod.
He was sworn to Privy Counsellor and Colonel of the Scots Guards.
He was buried at Highgate Cemetery.