William Richard Williams
Encyclopedia
William Richard Williams (1 March 1895 – 11 September 1963) was a British
civil servant and politician who made a particular specialism of the Post Office.
to a quarryman father, Williams went to elementary schools and then to a County Secondary. He began work in 1912 as a Post Office clerk, and became active in the Post Office Workers' Union. After rising through the union ranks, he was Assistant Secretary of the Union from 1942.
, Williams was sponsored by his union to run as the Labour
candidate in Heston and Isleworth
in west London, which had been newly created in boundary changes. With the election giving Labour a landslide win, he won the seat, but he could not hold on to it at the next election in 1950
. Williams established a reputation as a left-winger on some issues (voting against the continuation of National Service
), but supported the Government's decision to ban Communists from work related to national security.
in the eastern suburbs of Manchester
, and was elected there in the 1951 general election
. This was a much safer seat and Williams gave up his Union post in 1952 to concentrate on his Parliamentary career. Often putting questions about the Post Office and other parts of the Civil Service, he was appointed to the Speaker's Panel of Chairmen for Standing Committees where his chairmanship was much appreciated.
His constituency was again subjected to boundary changes in 1955, which Williams did his best to have delayed. Williams eventually followed most of his voters into the new Manchester Openshaw
constituency.
had Labour won the election, but Labour's defeat put paid to his chances and a Conservative MP was allowed the job without opposition. From 1960 he was given a front bench responsibility for the Post Office.
In 1962, Conservative Prime Minister Harold Macmillan
approached Williams with an offer to become the Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means (second Deputy Speaker). Williams declined, and the offer itself was controversial as many Labour MPs felt that Macmillan should have consulted the Labour leader Hugh Gaitskell
rather than make the offer direct to Williams. Williams died the next year at his home in Banstead
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
civil servant and politician who made a particular specialism of the Post Office.
Post Office career
Born in WalesWales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
to a quarryman father, Williams went to elementary schools and then to a County Secondary. He began work in 1912 as a Post Office clerk, and became active in the Post Office Workers' Union. After rising through the union ranks, he was Assistant Secretary of the Union from 1942.
Heston MP
At the 1945 general electionUnited Kingdom general election, 1945
The United Kingdom general election of 1945 was a general election held on 5 July 1945, with polls in some constituencies delayed until 12 July and in Nelson and Colne until 19 July, due to local wakes weeks. The results were counted and declared on 26 July, due in part to the time it took to...
, Williams was sponsored by his union to run as the Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
candidate in Heston and Isleworth
Heston and Isleworth (UK Parliament constituency)
Heston and Isleworth was a parliamentary constituency centred on the Heston and Isleworth districts of west London. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
in west London, which had been newly created in boundary changes. With the election giving Labour a landslide win, he won the seat, but he could not hold on to it at the next election in 1950
United Kingdom general election, 1950
The 1950 United Kingdom general election was the first general election ever after a full term of a Labour government. Despite polling over one and a half million votes more than the Conservatives, the election, held on 23 February 1950 resulted in Labour receiving a slim majority of just five...
. Williams established a reputation as a left-winger on some issues (voting against the continuation of National Service
National service
National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...
), but supported the Government's decision to ban Communists from work related to national security.
Droylsden
He was then chosen as candidate for DroylsdenDroylsden (UK Parliament constituency)
Droylsden was a parliamentary constituency in the historic county of Lancashire in the North West of England. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post system....
in the eastern suburbs of Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, and was elected there in the 1951 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1951
The 1951 United Kingdom general election was held eighteen months after the 1950 general election, which the Labour Party had won with a slim majority of just five seats...
. This was a much safer seat and Williams gave up his Union post in 1952 to concentrate on his Parliamentary career. Often putting questions about the Post Office and other parts of the Civil Service, he was appointed to the Speaker's Panel of Chairmen for Standing Committees where his chairmanship was much appreciated.
His constituency was again subjected to boundary changes in 1955, which Williams did his best to have delayed. Williams eventually followed most of his voters into the new Manchester Openshaw
Manchester Openshaw (UK Parliament constituency)
Manchester Openshaw was a parliamentary constituency centred on the Openshaw district of Manchester. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
constituency.
Speakership
Williams was lined up to be the Labour nominee for Speaker of the House of Commons after the 1959 general electionUnited Kingdom general election, 1959
This United Kingdom general election was held on 8 October 1959. It marked a third successive victory for the ruling Conservative Party, led by Harold Macmillan...
had Labour won the election, but Labour's defeat put paid to his chances and a Conservative MP was allowed the job without opposition. From 1960 he was given a front bench responsibility for the Post Office.
In 1962, Conservative Prime Minister Harold Macmillan
Harold Macmillan
Maurice Harold Macmillan, 1st Earl of Stockton, OM, PC was Conservative Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 10 January 1957 to 18 October 1963....
approached Williams with an offer to become the Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means (second Deputy Speaker). Williams declined, and the offer itself was controversial as many Labour MPs felt that Macmillan should have consulted the Labour leader Hugh Gaitskell
Hugh Gaitskell
Hugh Todd Naylor Gaitskell CBE was a British Labour politician, who held Cabinet office in Clement Attlee's governments, and was the Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition from 1955, until his death in 1963.-Early life:He was born in Kensington, London, the third and youngest...
rather than make the offer direct to Williams. Williams died the next year at his home in Banstead
Banstead
Banstead is a town in the borough of Reigate and Banstead in the county of Surrey, England, on the border with Greater London. It lies south of London, west of Croydon and of the county town of Kingston-Upon-Thames. Banstead is on the North Downs and is protected by the Metropolitan Green Belt;...
.