The Standing Committee of the Diocese of Sydney has passed a condolence motion, noting with sadness the passing of leading layman, world war two veteran and senior public figure, Sir Harold Knight.

Sir Harold passed away on the 19th of June at the age of 95.

Sir Harold served as a Lieutenant in the Australian Imperial Forces and Royal Australian Navy in the second world war,  and was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.

After the war, he worked for the International Monetary Fund from 1955 to 59.

He started at the Reserve Bank of Australia in 1960, ultimately rising to become its third Governor in 1975, a position he held until 1982.

He was made a Knight of the British Empire in 1980 for his services to the banking industry.

Sir Harold was a prominent lay contributor to the Diocese of Sydney, serving on the Standing Committee from 1969 until 1990 and as a Trustee of the Estate of the Late Thomas Moore from 1971 to 1986.

After retirement, he served on the boards of several major public companies and organisations, including as President of Scripture Union NSW from 1983 to 2002.

He was married to Gwenyth Knight for 62 years and leaves five living children, as well as fifteen grand-children and four great-grandchildren.

Bishop Robert Forsyth, who is Commissary of the Diocese of Sydney while the Archbishop is on leave, described Sir Harold as 'a servant of God in the world and in the church'.

"He regarded himself as being called to be a banker and did it with integrity and wisdom. He served the Church in its important lay councils, particularly bringing his expertise but he also had a real heart for the gospel and for spiritual priorities which, in his personal life, he expressed."

A memorial service will be held at 11am on Friday 26 June at St Andrew's Cathedral. 

Photo: Portrait of Sir Harold Knight by Bill Leak from the RBA Collection