Constituency : Paisley 1891-1906
William took over at Paisley after the death of William Barbour.
William was a local shop keeper's son. He was educated locally and started work in an accountants' office. He emigrated to South Africa in 1852 and soon became partner in a merchant firm there which he inherited after six years. He was married in South Africa in 1859. He built up an international trading empire from there and eventually re-located to London where he became an alderman. He had interests in banking and insurance as well. He was a Presbyterian.
William made few contributions to Parliament besides supporting the construction of a railway in Uganda.
William donated a Square to Paisley in 1894.
William was consul general of the Orange Free State from 1895 until 1900. He was also created a baronet in 1895.
William's fortune attracted some adverse rumours. He was said to be "pathologically mean " and he was accused of selling liquor to the Africans.
He died in 1912 aged 78. With no children William left a huge sum to charity which funded a chair of New Testament theology at Cambridge and research laboratories at both Oxford and Cambridge.
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