Constituency : Haverfordwest 1868 - 85
William took Haverfordwest from the Tories.
William was the son and heir of Baron Kensington, an Irish peerage. His family had a long history in the seat. He was educated at Eton. He had an army career in the Coldstream Guards and rose to the rank of colonel
William stood on the grounds of religious toleration and extension of the franchise. He supported disestablishment of the Irish church but opposed disendowment as well. In 1871 William spoke in favour of the secret ballot. He was Groom-in-Waiting to the queen from 1873 to 1874. He acted as a whip in opposition.
In 1880 Gladstone made William Chief Whip and he held the post for the life of the government.
In 1886 William's title was converted to an English peerage and he went to the House of Lords. He served as a whip there from 1892 until his death. He was appointed Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard in 1892 and served till 1895.
William was a generous man but rather taciturn in manner. He had an illegitimate son by a housemaid who he tacitly acknowledged by providing a good education.
He died suddenly while on a shooting holiday in Scotland in 1896 aged 61.
No comments:
Post a Comment