William McCleery (politician)
Encyclopedia
William McCleery was a prominent Unionist in Northern Ireland
.
McCleery was the managing director of Hale, Martin and Company, and from 1921 until 1946 was the President of the Ballymoney
Chamber of Commerce, from 1922 until 1945 was Chair of the North Antrim Agricultural Association, and from 1931 to 1946 was President of the North Antrim
Unionist Association. He was also the Grand Master of the Orange Order in County Antrim
.
McCleery was elected as the Ulster Unionist Party
(UUP) Member of Parliament for North Antrim at a by-election in 1945. In 1949, he briefly served as Minister of Labour
, before becoming Minister of Commerce
until 1953. In 1949, he was also appointed to the Privy Council of Northern Ireland
. After being relieved of his ministerial post, he became Chairman of the Unionist Back Bench Committee until 1956. He was knighted in 1954.
McCleery was proposed by James Bailie
was a possible candidate for Grand Master of the Orange Institution
in Ireland, and following the withdrawal of all the other serious candidates, took up the post in 1954. Still an MP, he used the position to support the UUP Government of Northern Ireland
. The following year, he became Grand Master of the Imperial Grand Orange Council of the World.
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
.
McCleery was the managing director of Hale, Martin and Company, and from 1921 until 1946 was the President of the Ballymoney
Ballymoney
Ballymoney is a small town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 9,021 people in the 2001 Census. It is currently served by Ballymoney Borough Council....
Chamber of Commerce, from 1922 until 1945 was Chair of the North Antrim Agricultural Association, and from 1931 to 1946 was President of the North Antrim
North Antrim (UK Parliament constituency)
North Antrim is a Parliamentary Constituency in the United Kingdom House of Commons. Its current member is Ian Paisley Jr.-Boundaries:North Antrim has always been a county constituency comprising the northern part of County Antrim in the north-east of Northern Ireland...
Unionist Association. He was also the Grand Master of the Orange Order in County Antrim
County Antrim
County Antrim is one of six counties that form Northern Ireland, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of 2,844 km², with a population of approximately 616,000...
.
McCleery was elected as the Ulster Unionist Party
Ulster Unionist Party
The Ulster Unionist Party – sometimes referred to as the Official Unionist Party or, in a historic sense, simply the Unionist Party – is the more moderate of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland...
(UUP) Member of Parliament for North Antrim at a by-election in 1945. In 1949, he briefly served as Minister of Labour
Minister of Labour (Northern Ireland)
The Minister of Labour for Northern Ireland was a member of the Executive Committee of the Privy Council of Northern Ireland in the Parliament of Northern Ireland which governed Northern Ireland from 1921 to 1972...
, before becoming Minister of Commerce
Minister of Commerce (Northern Ireland)
The Minister of Commerce was a member of the Executive Committee of the Privy Council of Northern Ireland in the Parliament of Northern Ireland which governed Northern Ireland from 1921 to 1972. The post was combined with that of the Minister of Agriculture until 1925...
until 1953. In 1949, he was also appointed to the Privy Council of Northern Ireland
Privy Council of Northern Ireland
The Privy Council of Northern Ireland was a formal body of advisors to the sovereign and was a vehicle for the monarch's prerogative powers in Northern Ireland. It was modelled on the Privy Council of the United Kingdom....
. After being relieved of his ministerial post, he became Chairman of the Unionist Back Bench Committee until 1956. He was knighted in 1954.
McCleery was proposed by James Bailie
James Bailie
James Bailie was a unionist politician in Northern Ireland.Bailie worked as a domestic engineer and ran a foundry that produced ironworks in Ballymena. He joined the Ulster Unionist Party and served on various public boards before being elected to the Senate of Northern Ireland in 1955, serving...
was a possible candidate for Grand Master of the Orange Institution
Orange Institution
The Orange Institution is a Protestant fraternal organisation based mainly in Northern Ireland and Scotland, though it has lodges throughout the Commonwealth and United States. The Institution was founded in 1796 near the village of Loughgall in County Armagh, Ireland...
in Ireland, and following the withdrawal of all the other serious candidates, took up the post in 1954. Still an MP, he used the position to support the UUP Government of Northern Ireland
Executive Committee of the Privy Council of Northern Ireland
The Executive Committee or the Executive Committee of the Privy Council of Northern Ireland was the government of Northern Ireland created under the Government of Ireland Act 1920. Generally known as either the Cabinet or the Government, the Executive Committee existed from 1922 to 1972...
. The following year, he became Grand Master of the Imperial Grand Orange Council of the World.