Constituency : Cirencester 1885-92 ( 1886-87 Liberal Unionist )
Arthur became the first Liberal to represent Cirencester since 1865. He won by 700 votes.
Arthur was a banker's son from Stroud. He was the brother of Henry Winterbotham, former MP for Stroud . He was educated at Amersham School. He was a partner in a cloth manufacturing business.
Arthur was a Radical and supporter of Chamberlain . His maiden speech was in support of allotments.
Arthur made a passionate speech against the Home Rule Bill correctly prophesying, "the Irish Members have frankly stated that they accept this measure as a bargain and that they will abide by it ; but they will neither live nor be in power forever, and there will arise a party which will aim at sweeping these restrictions away".
Accordingly Arthur went over to the Liberal Unionists and was unopposed in 1886 but in 1887 he and three other radicals went back to the Liberals in protest at the Salisbury government's Crimes Bill. In 1892 he was re-elected by 153 votes.
He died shortly after his re-election, aged 54.
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