Harold Knight was born in Nottingham. He trained at Nottingham School of Art - where he met Laura Knight nee. Johnson (British 1877-1970) - and in various Parisian ateliers.
The couple spent time in the community of artists based at Staithes, a fishing village in Yorkshire before marrying in 1903; thereafter Laura established an international reputation under her married surname.
After travelling in the Netherlands and exhibiting in London together, the Knights moved to Cornwall in 1907. They became key figures in the ‘Newlyn School’ and, despite moving to London in 1919, regularly returned to paint in Cornwall.
Following the outbreak of World War One, Knight registered as a conscientious objector and worked as an agricultural labourer. After the war he became known for his portraits, interiors and landscapes, which he showed in group exhibitions including at the Royal Academy from 1896 until 1961; he was elected a member in 1937 and was President of the Nottingham Society of Artists between 1936 and 1945. The Knights were based in Malvern, Worcestershire during World War Two, with Knight dying nearby in 1961.
