The son of Sir Arnold Knight, M.D., a royal physician, Edmund came from a very well-connected Catholic family. He was born in Sheffield in 1827 and was a student at Oscott College (1839 -1843), and then for a short time worked in a solicitor's office in Liverpool, and considered settling in the United States or Canada. Eventually, and no doubt influenced by his strong Catholic background, he received his vocation to the priesthood. He studied in Rome and was ordained priest in 1857. He was appointed as secretary to the newly formed Clifton Diocese in 1858, and then as secretary to Cardinal Wiseman in 1860. Each move marked the high regard in which he was held, and so in 1862 he became the Vice-President of Oscott College. During his years there he was regarded with great affection. A former student recalled how his "presence, considerate manners and polished conversation gave him a rare charm which everyone felt" , "we learnt from his own example how to argue with good humour and to the point."

In 1877, Dr Knight came to replace the ageing Canon Jeffries, but his ministry in the parish was to be brief, in fact a mere fourteen months, for, early in 1879, he was appointed as auxiliary Bishop to Shrewsbury. It was the last diocese to be established in England and Wales, which included the counties of Cheshire, Shropshire and all of North Wales. A most daunting task! Soon after his arrival, Bishop Brown retired and the newly-consecrated Bishop Knight was given charge of the diocese. The burden of debt and many other problems, not least those of travelling to remote areas of the diocese, proved too much for him. On asking to be moved, he was first persuaded to accept an assistant Bishop, but eventually was allowed to retire in 1895. He returned to London and lived in Kensington until his death in June 1905. After the requiem Mass in London, his body was returned for a second requiem Mass in his former diocese attended by Bishop Mostyn and many priests of the diocese.

Obviously a most talented Rector, but whose brief stay in St Peter's makes it difficult to assess his influence on the parish.

He was buried in Flaybrick Cemetery, Birkenhead.

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