Knox was born in Adelaide, the eldest son of John Knox, jun, ( – 27 October 1908) and his wife Eliza Annie Nairn Knox, née Morton ( – 7 December 1915) of "Kirkwall", William Street, Norwood.[1]
He was a student of fellow Australian composer Paolo Giorza[2]
He began in 1912 the tradition of free Sunday morning organ recitals at the Adelaide Town Hall.[4]Louis Yemm deputised for him in July and August 1912.[5]
Knox followed T. H. Jones as City Organist in 1923 and served until 1928. The appointment of his successor was attended by controversy: John Dempster was appointed without any competitive evaluation, and eminent musicians John Horner, Frederic Finlay and W. Lawrence Haggitt, who had all applied, signed a public letter airing their sense of injustice, clearly implying he was a poor choice.[6] Knox refrained from comment.
He died after a short illness and his remains were interred in the West Terrace Cemetery.
An obituary photograph of Knox was published wearing starched collar and magnificent whiskers.[7]
His sister Ada Knox (1875–1963) was a well-known singer who was frequently accompanied by her brother on piano. She married Edgar Charles Thurston on 14 September 1912.[8]
His uncle, Nathaniel Alexander Knox (1837 – 6 March 1908) was a partner in the legal firm Knox, Gwynne and Hargrave with E C Gwynne (c. 1848 – 19 August 1905) and C T Hargrave (1855 – 9 September 1924). He founded the suburb Knoxville (now subsumed in the suburbs of Glenside and Glenunga).[9]
^"Concerning People". The Register (Adelaide). Vol. LXXIII, no. 19, 332. South Australia. 28 October 1908. p. 7. Retrieved 13 February 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
^"ART IN ADELAIDE". Daily Herald. Vol. 3, no. 888. South Australia. 25 January 1913. p. 1 (Magazine Section). Retrieved 24 October 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Before the Public". The News (Adelaide). Vol. XXI, no. 3, 163. South Australia. 7 September 1933. p. 11. Retrieved 13 February 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Advertising". The Advertiser (Adelaide). Vol. LV, no. 16, 770. South Australia. 16 July 1912. p. 2. Retrieved 8 June 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
^"City Organist". The Advertiser. South Australia. 11 September 1929. p. 15. Retrieved 12 February 2017 – via National Library of Australia. The eminent Harold Wylde succeeded Dempster in 1932.
^"W. R. KNOX". The Mail (Adelaide). No. 61. South Australia. 28 June 1913. p. 5 (THIRD SECTION.). Retrieved 2 August 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Weddings". The Mail (Adelaide). No. 20. South Australia. 14 September 1912. p. 2. Retrieved 13 February 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
