Constituency : Salford South 1885-6, Gorton 1889-95, Rossendale 1900-04
William won the new seat of Salford South.
William was the son of a partner in a firm making equipment for the textile bleaching industry. He was privately educated and became chairman of the company which owned Salford ironworks. He introduced the eight hour day there.
William was defeated in 1886. He won a by-election at Gorton in 1889 but withdrew in favour of the ILP candidate Richard Pankhurst in 1895. He won another by-election at Gorton in 1900.
William had a deep interest in education. He served on the Salford School Board from 1874 onwards. He was on the council of Owen's College and then Manchester University and took charge of the British education section of the 1908 Franco-British Exhibition . In 1883 he undertook an investigation into technical education in the USA and Russia on behalf of the Royal Commission on Technical Instruction. He had his amendments to the 1889 Technical Instruction Bill accepted by the government.
William was knighted in 1902 after service on the committee dealing with the reorganisation of the War Office. He was a constant critic during the passage of that year's Education Act.
William was a party donor. He was friendly with Churchill and Lloyd George.
William stood down in 1904.
He died in 1920 aged 82.
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