Knight, Ann Augusta (Gussie) (née McKail)   (1840 - 1904)

Born in Albany, WA, 27 July 1840; died in Albany on 18 August 1904

One of at least four children, to a businessman, John McKail (c.1810-1871), and Henrietta Jenkins (c.1823-1888). The family established the firm of John McKail & Co. in Albany. In 1863, Gussie married a settler, William Grills Knight (1839-1903), and they had four children. The family ran 'Woodlands' estate at Porongurup.

Gussie collected MEL specimens at Porongurup, 1869-1870, King George Sound, 1882, and upper Gordon River, (no date).

Her son, Ernest William Knight (b.1869), also collected MEL specimens.

The family moved to Albany in the early 1870s where Gussie's husband worked as a businessman, and held the office of mayor three times.

Gussie was a member of the Wilgie Art Club. She was a wildflower artist and her paintings won a bronze medal at the Colonial and Indian Exhibition, 1886.

Gussie died in Albany in 1904 aged 64.

Source: extracted from: Maroske, Sara and Vaughan, Alison (2014) 'Ferdinand Mueller's female plant collectors: a biographical register', Muelleria Vol.32 [consult for source references]