651 William Brocklehurst

Constituency : Macclesfield  1868-80, 1885-6

William  took  over  from  his  father  John  at  Macclesfield.

William  was  part  of  his  family's  silk  manufacturing  business. He  was  chair  of  the  Macclesfield  Chamber  of  Commerce. He  was  a  Unitarian.

In  1880  John  and  the  other  Macclesfield  MP  were  ejected  on  petition  after  extensive  bribery  in  the  borough  which  was  punished  by  having  no  representation  until  1885  when  William  was  re-elected  to  the  now  single  member  seat. He  was mayor  from  1883  to  1885.

William  made  few  speeches in  Parliament; they  were  usually  concerned  with  the  interests  of  the  silk  trade. In  1885  he  gave  evidence  to  the  Royal  Commission on  the  Depression  of  Trade  blaming  it  on  the  poor  quality  of  technical  education  compared  to  Germany  and  France.

He  died  in  1900  aged  82.