Edward William 'Ned' Knox (1847-1933), industrialist, was a son of Sir Edward Knox, founder of the Colonial Sugar Refining Co, and Martha Rutledge. Edward William joined CSR in 1864, taking charge of its Clarence River crushing mills in 1870. He travelled widely to learn sugar industry methods and recruited chemists from overseas before becoming general manager of CSR in 1880. A staunch free trader, he steered the company through Royal Commissions on the sugar industry in 1911-12 and in 1920, when he became its chairman and managing director. He resigned the latter post at the end of 1932. Amongst his other commitments, he was on the Woollahra Municipal Council, the Board of Health, and the board of the National Art Gallery of NSW; he was President of the Union Club from 1908 to 1921. His house, Rona, in Bellevue Hill was completed in 1883. That year he became Commodore of the Sydney Yacht Squadron, from which he sailed his famous cutter Sirocco.
Gift of Mrs Caroline Philippa Parker 2005. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.
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