Born on Lower Grosvenor Street in London, she was the daughter of General Edward Bowater and Emilia Mary Barne.

[1] Knightley devoted much of her time to the church, serving as a national vice-president and the Peterborough diocese president of the Girls' Friendly Society.

[2] She was also interest in politics, and when the Primrose League was established in 1883, she soon joined, and from 1885 until 1907, she served on its Ladies' Grand Council.

In line with the organisation's aims, she was very active in mobilising women in support of the Conservative Party, and was credited with saving Rainald's seat in the 1885 and 1886 general elections.

In her last years, she also served on the Northamptonshire Higher Education Committee,[1] and from 1908 to 1910 was the founding president of the Conservative and Unionist Women's Franchise Association.