] ] "WITHIN a short walk of Longbourn lived a family with whom the Bennets were particularly intimate. Sir William Lucas had been formerly in trade in Meryton, where he had made a tolerable fortune and risen to the honour of knighthood by an address to the King during his mayoralty. "

] I have been told that in the time of GeorgeIII, an "address to the King" was a written suggestion that the king consider a certain person for a knighthood, or whatever honour. That doesn't mean that Sir William made the application himself; it

Thanks for the clarification, Caroline. I thought it meant that he was fulsome in his praise on a Royal Visit or something similar.

Sir Humphrey Davy (of the miners's lamp fame) was a knight, but I am not sure what kind. The first scientist to get a baronetcy was Sir John Herschel(l) whose aunt Caroline was mentioned some weeks ago.

As for Reynolds, I am not sure what kind his knighthood was. Perhaps it is mentioned in a biography or something?

Shinjinee