William Stapleton Royce
Encyclopedia
William Stapleton Royce was an English
Labour Party
politician who served as Member of Parliament
for the Holland-with-Boston
constituency from 1918 until 1924.
He was born in Spalding, Lincolnshire
, and was educated at the Willesby School and at Pretty’s Commercial School, Spalding. On leaving school, he was apprenticed to a joiner
, but served only two years of his apprenticeship before running away to London
where he worked on the construction of the General Post Office building in St Martin’s-le-Grand. Three months later, he learnt that the Government of Cape Town
were offering a free passage to South Africa
for men to build the railways in that country. He accepted a three year contract, at the end of which he had saved enough money to set up in business on his own account.
During the next thirty years he was heavily engaged on the construction of various railway lines in South Africa as well as some important public buildings. In May 1882, he married Emma Broedelet, the daughter of a Dutch missionary
. In 1910, he sold out his business interests in South Africa and returned to England where he fought the January and December 1910 elections as the Conservative Party
candidate for the Spalding division
of Lincolnshire
, but lost to his Liberal
opponent. In 1917, the seat became vacant on the death of the sitting member, but he felt that this was no time for political conflict, and the Liberal candidate was returned unopposed.
However at the December 1918 general election
, in a three-cornered fight, he successfully contested the new Holland-with-Boston division
on behalf of the Labour Party
, and held the seat at the both the 1922
and 1923 general election
s.
In June 1924, he was offered the Governorship of Tasmania
and decided to accept. However, before he was could do so, he died of a heart attack on 23 June 1924 on a London bus near Russell Square
. The resukting by-election for his Commons seat
was held in July 1924, and won by the Conservative Party candidate Arthur Dean
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
Labour Party
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...
politician who served 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,...
for the Holland-with-Boston
Holland with Boston (UK Parliament constituency)
Holland with Boston was a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1918 to 1997. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-History:...
constituency from 1918 until 1924.
He was born in Spalding, Lincolnshire
Spalding, Lincolnshire
Spalding is a market town with a population of 30,000 on the River Welland in the South Holland district of Lincolnshire, England. Little London is a hamlet directly south of Spalding on the B1172 road....
, and was educated at the Willesby School and at Pretty’s Commercial School, Spalding. On leaving school, he was apprenticed to a joiner
Joiner
A joiner differs from a carpenter in that joiners cut and fit joints in wood that do not use nails. Joiners usually work in a workshop since the formation of various joints generally requires non-portable machinery. A carpenter normally works on site...
, but served only two years of his apprenticeship before running away to London
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...
where he worked on the construction of the General Post Office building in St Martin’s-le-Grand. Three months later, he learnt that the Government of Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
were offering a free passage to South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
for men to build the railways in that country. He accepted a three year contract, at the end of which he had saved enough money to set up in business on his own account.
During the next thirty years he was heavily engaged on the construction of various railway lines in South Africa as well as some important public buildings. In May 1882, he married Emma Broedelet, the daughter of a Dutch missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
. In 1910, he sold out his business interests in South Africa and returned to England where he fought the January and December 1910 elections as the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
candidate for the Spalding division
Spalding (UK Parliament constituency)
Spalding was a county constituency in Lincolnshire, which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
of Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
, but lost to his Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
opponent. In 1917, the seat became vacant on the death of the sitting member, but he felt that this was no time for political conflict, and the Liberal candidate was returned unopposed.
However at the December 1918 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1918
The United Kingdom general election of 1918 was the first to be held after the Representation of the People Act 1918, which meant it was the first United Kingdom general election in which nearly all adult men and some women could vote. Polling was held on 14 December 1918, although the count did...
, in a three-cornered fight, he successfully contested the new Holland-with-Boston division
Holland with Boston (UK Parliament constituency)
Holland with Boston was a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1918 to 1997. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-History:...
on behalf of the Labour Party
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...
, and held the seat at the both the 1922
United Kingdom general election, 1922
The United Kingdom general election of 1922 was held on 15 November 1922. It was the first election held after most of the Irish counties left the United Kingdom to form the Irish Free State, and was won by Andrew Bonar Law's Conservatives, who gained an overall majority over Labour, led by John...
and 1923 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1923
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
s.
In June 1924, he was offered the Governorship of Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
and decided to accept. However, before he was could do so, he died of a heart attack on 23 June 1924 on a London bus near Russell Square
Russell Square
Russell Square is a large garden square in Bloomsbury, in the London Borough of Camden. It is near the University of London's main buildings and the British Museum. To the north is Woburn Place and to the south-east is Southampton Row...
. The resukting by-election for his Commons seat
Holland with Boston by-election, 1924
The Holland with Boston by-election, 1924 was a by-election held on 31st July 1924 for the British House of Commons constituency of Holland with Boston in Lincolnshire....
was held in July 1924, and won by the Conservative Party candidate Arthur Dean
Arthur Dean (UK politician)
Arthur Wellesley Dean was a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom.He was elected as the Member of Parliament for Holland with Boston at a by-election in July 1924 and re-elected at the general election in November 1924. He held the seat until his death in early 1929...
.
Sources
- “William Stapleton Royce: a memoir” by Charles Woodrooffe Ould, published by George Allen & Unwin Ltd in 1925.