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Gowin Knight FRS (10 September 1713 – 8 June 1772) was a British physicist who, in 1745, discovered a process for producing strongly magnetised steel. He also served as the first principal librarian of the British Museum.^[1]

Biography

Born in Corringham, a small parish in Lincolnshire, Knight was educated at Leeds Grammar School and Magdalen Hall, Oxford. He was awarded a BA in October 1736, MA in June 1739 and MB in February 1742, after which he lived in London as a practising physician.

In 1745, he discovered a process for forming strongly magnetised steel, which he used to develop a compass needle able to function with greater precision. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society the same year after presenting his findings to the Society. He was honoured in 1747 with the Copley Medal in recognition of his achievements and, by 1752, his technologically advanced compasses were adopted by the Royal Navy, with renowned London instrument craftsman, George Adams, engaged in their manufacture.

In 1756, Knight received an appointment as the first principal librarian of the British Museum.^[1] He died in London, at age 58.

References

^ ^a ^b "Knight, Gowin" . Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.

[dnb-1] "Knight, Gowin" . Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.

[1]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Short description|British physicist}}
-[[File:Gowin Knight from Science & Society 10198868.jpg|thumb|right|Gowin Knight]]
+{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2015}}
-'''Gowin Knight''' [[Fellow of the Royal Society|FRS]]  (10 September 1713 – 8 June 1772) was an [[England|English]] [[physicist]] who, in 1745, discovered a process for creating strongly magnetized [[steel]]. He also served as the first [[Director of the British Museum#Principal Librarian of the British Museum (1756)|principal librarian]] of the [[British Museum]].<ref name=dnb>{{DNB Cite|wstitle=Knight, Gowin}}</ref>
+{{Use British English|date=August 2015}}
+[[File:Gowin Knight from Science & Society 10198868.jpg|thumb|Gowin Knight]]
+'''Gowin Knight''' [[Fellow of the Royal Society|FRS]]  (10 September 1713 – 8 June 1772) was a British [[physicist]] who, in 1745, discovered a process for producing strongly magnetised [[steel]]. He also served as the first [[Director of the British Museum#Principal Librarian of the British Museum (1756)|principal librarian]] of the [[British Museum]].<ref name="dnb" />
 ==Biography==
-Born in [[Corringham, Lincolnshire|Corringham]], a small [[civil parish]] in [[Lincolnshire]]. In 1745, Knight discovered a process for creating strongly magnetized [[steel]], which he used to develop a [[compass]] needle able to function with greater precision.   Gowin Knight was honoured in 1747 with the [[Copley Medal]] in recognition of his achievements and, by 1752, his technologically-advanced compasses were adapted by the [[Royal Navy]], with renowned [[London]] instrument craftsman, [[George Adams (optician)|George Adams]], engaged in their manufacture.
+Born in [[Corringham, Lincolnshire|Corringham]], a small [[Parish (Church of England)|parish]] in [[Lincolnshire]], Knight was educated at [[Leeds Grammar School]] and [[Magdalen Hall, Oxford]]. He was awarded a BA in October 1736, MA in June 1739 and MB in February 1742, after which he lived in London as a practising physician.
+In 1745, he discovered a process for forming strongly magnetised steel, which he used to develop a [[compass]] needle able to function with greater precision. He was elected a [[Fellow of the Royal Society]] the same year after presenting his findings to the Society. He was honoured in 1747 with the [[Copley Medal]] in recognition of his achievements and, by 1752, his technologically advanced compasses were adopted by the [[Royal Navy]], with renowned London instrument craftsman, [[George Adams (scientist, died 1773)|George Adams]], engaged in their manufacture.
-In 1756, Gowin Knight received an appointment as the first [[Director of the British Museum#Principal Librarian of the British Museum (1756)|principal librarian]] of the [[British Museum]].<ref name=dnb/> He died in London, three months before his 59th birthday.
+In 1756, Knight received an appointment as the first principal librarian of the British Museum.<ref name="dnb" /> He died in London, at age 58.
 ==References==
-{{reflist}}
+{{reflist|refs=
+<ref name="dnb">{{DNB Cite|wstitle=Knight, Gowin}}</ref>
+}}
 *[http://www.scienceandsociety.co.uk/results.asp?image=10198868 Capsule biography of Gowin Knight at ''Science & Society Picture Library'' website]
 *[http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/320345/Gowin-Knight Gowin Knight entry at the ''Encyclopædia Britannica Online'']
+{{Copley Medallists 1731–1750}}
-{{Copley Medallists 1731-1750}}
 {{British Museum directors}}
+{{Authority control}}
-{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. -->
-| NAME              = Knight, Gowin
-| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
-| SHORT DESCRIPTION =
-| DATE OF BIRTH     = 10 September 1713
-| PLACE OF BIRTH    =
-| DATE OF DEATH     = 8 June 1772
-| PLACE OF DEATH    =
-}}
 {{DEFAULTSORT:Knight, Gowin}}
 [[Category:1713 births]]
 [[Category:1772 deaths]]
+[[Category:People from West Lindsey District]]
+[[Category:Alumni of Magdalen College, Oxford]]
 [[Category:18th-century English people]]
-[[Category:British Museum directors]]
-[[Category:Employees of the British Museum]]
 [[Category:English physicists]]
 [[Category:English inventors]]
 [[Category:English librarians]]
 [[Category:Fellows of the Royal Society]]
-[[Category:People from West Lindsey (district)]]
+[[Category:Directors of the British Museum]]
+[[Category:Employees of the British Museum]]
 [[Category:Recipients of the Copley Medal]]
-[[es:Gowin Knight]]
-[[fr:Gowin Knight]]
-[[la:Gowin Knight]]
-[[nl:Gowin Knight]]
-[[no:Gowin Knight]]
-[[pl:Gowin Knight]]
-[[pt:Gowin Knight]]
-[[sl:Gowin Knight]]

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