William Torrens McCullagh Torrens
Encyclopedia
William Torrens McCullagh Torrens (1813 - 26 April 1894) was an Irish Liberal
politician who sat in the House of Commons for English constituencies variously between 1848 and 1885.
Torrens was the son of James McCullagh of Greenfield Dublin, and his wife Jane Torrens daughter of Andrew Torrens of Dublin. He was educated at Trinity College, Dublin
. In 1835 he was Assistant Commissioner of the Irish Poor Inquiry and was called to the bar in Ireland in 1836. He was an original member of the Anti-Corn Law League
founded in 1838. In 1846 he was private secretary to Henry Labouchere
when he was Chief Secretary for Ireland
.
Torrens stood for parliament unsuccessfully at Dundalk
in 1847 but was seated as Member of Parliament
on petition in March 1848. He held the seat until 1852 when he stood unsuccessfully for Yarmouth
.
Torrens was called to the bar at Lincoln's Inn
in 1855. He was elected MP for Yarmouth in 1857 but his election was declared void on petition. In 1863 he adopted the additional surname Torrens. In 1865 he was elected MP for Finsbury
. He held the seat until 1885. He introduced in 1866 the "Artisans and Labourers Dwelling Bill" and carried the lodger franchise in the Reform Act 1867
. He obtained a Select Committee on Extradition in 1869 and in 1874 brought in and carried the Building Societies Bill.
Torrens published a number of works including
Torrens died at the age of 80.
Torrens married firstly Margaret Henrietta Gray daughter of John Gray of Claremorris, County Mayo in 1836. She died in 1873 and he married secondly Emily Harrison, daughter of William Harrison of Leamington in 1878.
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...
politician who sat in the House of Commons for English constituencies variously between 1848 and 1885.
Torrens was the son of James McCullagh of Greenfield Dublin, and his wife Jane Torrens daughter of Andrew Torrens of Dublin. 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...
. In 1835 he was Assistant Commissioner of the Irish Poor Inquiry and was called to the bar in Ireland in 1836. He was an original member of the Anti-Corn Law League
Anti-Corn Law League
The Anti-Corn Law League was in effect the resumption of the Anti-Corn Law Association, which had been created in London in 1836 but did not obtain widespread popularity. The Anti-Corn Law League was founded in Manchester in 1838...
founded in 1838. In 1846 he was private secretary to Henry Labouchere
Henry Labouchere, 1st Baron Taunton
Henry Labouchere, 1st Baron Taunton PC was a prominent British Whig and Liberal Party politician of the mid-19th century.-Background and education:...
when he was Chief Secretary for Ireland
Chief Secretary for Ireland
The Chief Secretary for Ireland was a key political office in the British administration in Ireland. Nominally subordinate to the Lord Lieutenant, from the late 18th century until the end of British rule he was effectively the government minister with responsibility for governing Ireland; usually...
.
Torrens stood for parliament unsuccessfully at Dundalk
Dundalk (UK Parliament constituency)
Dundalk was a parliamentary borough constituency in Ireland, which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
in 1847 but was seated 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,...
on petition in March 1848. He held the seat until 1852 when he stood unsuccessfully for Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth (UK Parliament constituency)
Great Yarmouth is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
.
Torrens was called to the bar at Lincoln's Inn
Lincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are called to the Bar. The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn. Although Lincoln's Inn is able to trace its official records beyond...
in 1855. He was elected MP for Yarmouth in 1857 but his election was declared void on petition. In 1863 he adopted the additional surname Torrens. In 1865 he was elected MP for Finsbury
Finsbury (UK Parliament constituency)
The parliamentary borough of Finsbury was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1832 to 1885, and from 1918 to 1950. The constituency created in 1832 included part of the county of Middlesex north of the City of London and was named after the Finsbury...
. He held the seat until 1885. He introduced in 1866 the "Artisans and Labourers Dwelling Bill" and carried the lodger franchise in the Reform Act 1867
Reform Act 1867
The Representation of the People Act 1867, 30 & 31 Vict. c. 102 was a piece of British legislation that enfranchised the urban male working class in England and Wales....
. He obtained a Select Committee on Extradition in 1869 and in 1874 brought in and carried the Building Societies Bill.
Torrens published a number of works including
- Lectured on the Use and Study of History
- Life of Lord Melbourne
- Industrial History of Free Nations
- Empire in Asia
- Memoirs of Wellesley
Torrens died at the age of 80.
Torrens married firstly Margaret Henrietta Gray daughter of John Gray of Claremorris, County Mayo in 1836. She died in 1873 and he married secondly Emily Harrison, daughter of William Harrison of Leamington in 1878.