793 Sir Matthew Wilson

Constituency : Clitheroe  1841-2, 1847-53, Northern  West  Riding  1874-85, Skipton  1885-6

Sir  Matthew  captured  the  second  seat  at  Northern  West  Riding.

Matthew  was  a  solicitor's  son  educated  at  Harrow  and  Oxford.  The  family  were  based  at  Eshton  Hall  near  Malham. He  became  magistrate  in 1824  when  he  was  22  and  served  for  66  years, the  longest  recorded  run  in  Skipton's  history. He  was  first  elected  for  Clitheroe  in  1841  when  he  was  disqualified  on  petition. He  regained  the  seat  in  1847  but  his  victory  in  1852  was  again  voided  on  petition. He  was  created  a  baronet  shortly  before  his  election  in  1874.

Matthew  was  defeated  in  1886.He  was  still  alive  when  a  statue  was  erected  to  him  in  Skipton  in  1888.

He  died  in  1891  aged  88.