This memoir tells the story of the life and career of Matthew Knight, a prominent Manchester businessman and philanthropist. Knight's extraordinary career spanned many fields, including manufacturing, finance, and public service. The book combines biographical sketches, personal letters, and historical accounts to offer a multifaceted portrait of this remarkable individual. The memoir offers a valuable resource for scholars and students interested in British social, cultural, and economic history. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.