William Digby Seymour (1805–1872)
Encyclopedia
William Digby Seymour was a merchant in London
and a Whig politician.
He was elected as Member of Parliament
(MP) for Kingston upon Hull
at a by-election in August 1854,
after the constituency's writ had been suspended for a year following a void election in 1852
. At the hustings he proclaimed himself a supporter of free trade
, the secret ballot
, an extension of the franchise
, and of religious freedom and toleration.
He held the seat until the 1857 general election
, when he did not stand again,
and Hull was contested unsuccessfully by his namesake William Digby Seymour
.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and a Whig politician.
He was elected as Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull (UK Parliament constituency)
Kingston upon Hull, often simply referred to as Hull, was a parliamentary constituency in Yorkshire, electing two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, from 1305 until 1885...
at a by-election in August 1854,
after the constituency's writ had been suspended for a year following a void election in 1852
United Kingdom general election, 1852
The July 1852 United Kingdom general election was a watershed election in the formation of the modern political parties of Britain. Following 1852, the Tory/Conservative party became, more completely, the party of the rural aristocracy, while the Whig/Liberal party became the party of the rising...
. At the hustings he proclaimed himself a supporter of free trade
Free trade
Under a free trade policy, prices emerge from supply and demand, and are the sole determinant of resource allocation. 'Free' trade differs from other forms of trade policy where the allocation of goods and services among trading countries are determined by price strategies that may differ from...
, the secret ballot
Secret ballot
The secret ballot is a voting method in which a voter's choices in an election or a referendum are anonymous. The key aim is to ensure the voter records a sincere choice by forestalling attempts to influence the voter by intimidation or bribery. The system is one means of achieving the goal of...
, an extension of the franchise
Suffrage
Suffrage, political franchise, or simply the franchise, distinct from mere voting rights, is the civil right to vote gained through the democratic process...
, and of religious freedom and toleration.
He held the seat until the 1857 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1857
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* British Electoral Facts 1832-1999, compiled and edited by Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher *...
, when he did not stand again,
and Hull was contested unsuccessfully by his namesake William Digby Seymour
William Digby Seymour
-Biography:Seymour, third son of Charles Seymour, vicar of Kilronan, co. Roscommon, by Beata, daughter of Fergus Langley of Lich Finn, Tipperary, was born in Ireland on 22 Sept. 1822. He was educated at Trinity College, Dublin, graduating B.A. in 1844 and LL.D. in 1872. He was called to the bar at...
.