William Preston (British politician)

William Preston (February 1874 - 22 November 1941) was a British industrialist and Conservative politician.

Born in 1874, Preston was educated at Walsall Grammar School and Weston School, Bath.^[1] In 1907 he married Lilly Swinton Sanders, and he became managing director of William Sanders & Co (Wednesbury) Limited, a major manufacturer of electrical switching equipment.^[2] He played cricket for Staffordshire in the Minor Counties Championship,^[3] making one appearance in 1901 against Northamptonshire and another in 1911, against Lincolnshire.^[4]

At the 1924 general election, Preston was chosen as Conservative candidate for the Walsall constituency. He unseated the sitting Liberal MP, Patrick Collins.^[5] However, following his election, it was discovered that Preston had received payments for two small contracts to supply electrical fittings to the Post Office Stores Department. As a government contractor, Preston was ineligible to stand for parliament, and his election was declared void.^[6]

Having overcome his legal difficulties, Preston was selected as Conservative candidate at the ensuing by-election.^[7] The poll was held on 27 February, and Preston was elected ahead of Liberal and Labour candidates, with a similar majority to that gained at the 1924 election.^[8]

Preston was only a member of the House of Commons for one term. At the 1929 general election there was a swing to Labour, and he was defeated by the party's candidate John James McShane. He retired from politics. William Preston died after a long illness at his home, Gorway, Walsall in November 1941, aged 67.^[9]

References

Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs

1. "Obituaries". The Times. 24 November 1941. p. 6.
2. "A History of Wednesbury". Wolverhampton History & Heritage. University of Wolverhampton. Retrieved 2009-03-01.
3. "Player profile: William Preston". CricketArchive. Retrieved 18 June 2011.
4. "Minor Counties Championship Matches played by William Preston". CricketArchive. Retrieved 18 June 2011.
5. "The General Election". The Times. 30 October 1924. p. 7.
6. "M.P.'s Government Contract. By-Election Likely At Walsall, Legal Penalties". The Times. 31 January 1925. p. 9.
7. "The Walsall by-Election". The Times. 12 February 1925. p. 10.
8. "Walsall Election. Result Declared Last Night". The Times. 28 February 1925. p. 12.
9. "Deaths". The Times. 25 November 1941. p. 1.