Sir William Handcock was an Irish politician and judge.

Born in County Westmeath

County Westmeath

-Economy:Westmeath has a strong agricultural economy. Initially, development occurred around the major market centres of Mullingar, Moate, and Kinnegad. Athlone developed due to its military significance, and its strategic location on the main Dublin–Galway route across the River Shannon. Mullingar...

, he was the second son of William Handcock

William Handcock (Westmeath politician)

William Handcock was an Irish politician.Originally from Lancashire, Handcock entered the Irish House of Commons in 1661, holding his seat for Westmeath until 1666. He was then appointed to the Council of Connaught and in 1680, he received a grant to erect a manor in Twyford, Westmeath...

 and his wife Abigail, daughter of Sir Thomas Stanley and sister of Thomas Stanley

Thomas Stanley (author)

Sir Thomas Stanley was an English author and translator.-Life:He was born in Cumberlow, Hertfordshire, the son of Sir Thomas Stanley of Cumberlow, Hertfordshire and his wife, Mary Hammond. Mary was the cousin of Richard Lovelace, and Stanley was educated in company with the son of Edward Fairfax,...

. His older brother was Thomas Handcock

Thomas Handcock

Thomas Handcock was an Irish politician.He was the eldest son of William Handcock and his wife Abigail, daughter of Sir Thomas Stanley and sister of Thomas Stanley. His younger brother was Sir William Handcock...

. He was educated at Trinity College, Dublin

Trinity College, Dublin

Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...

.

Handcock entered the Irish House of Commons

Irish House of Commons

The Irish House of Commons was the lower house of the Parliament of Ireland, that existed from 1297 until 1800. The upper house was the House of Lords...

 in 1692, representing Boyle

Boyle (Parliament of Ireland constituency)

Boyle was a constituency represented in the Irish House of Commons from 1611 to 1800.-History:In the Patriot Parliament of 1689 summoned by King James II, Boyle was represented with two members.-1689–1801:...

 until the following year. He sat for Dublin City

Dublin City (Parliament of Ireland constituency)

Dublin City was a constituency represented in the Irish House of Commons to 1801.-History:In the Patriot Parliament of 1689 summoned by King James II, Dublin City was represented with two members. In the 1760s the radical politician Charles Lucas used the seat as his political base.-1689–1801:...

 from 1695 until 1699. Handcock was appointed Recorder of Dublin

Recorder of Dublin

The Recorder of Dublin was a judicial position in Dublin, Ireland. The first to hold the position was James Stanihurst, speaker of the Irish parliament, in 1564 and the last was Sir Thomas O'Shaughnessy. The Recordership was abolished in 1924....

in 1695, a post he held until his death in 1701.

On 31 May 1685, he married Elizabeth Coddington, daughter of Nicholas Coddington.