William Woodall (UK politician)
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William Woodall (15 March 1832-8 April 1901), was a British Liberal politician, philanthropist and supporter of women's suffrage.
Woodall was the elder son of William Woodall, of Shrewsbury, and his wife Martha (née Basson), and was educated at Crescent Schools, Liverpool. He worked for James Macintyre, china manufacturers, of Burslem, becoming a senior partner on the latter's death in 1870, and was Chairman of the Sneyd Colliery Company. Apart from his business career he was Chairman of the Burslem school board from 1870 to 1880, of the Wedgwood Institute and of the North Staffordshire Society for Promotion of the Welfare of the Deaf and Dumb and a member of the royal commission on technical education from 1881 to 1884 and on the care of blind and deaf mutes from 1886 to 1889.
In 1880 Woodall entered Parliament for Stoke-upon-Trent, a seat he held until 1885, and then represented Hanley until 1900. He served as Surveyor-General of the Ordnance under William Gladstone in 1886 and as Financial Secretary to the War Office under Gladstone and later Lord Rosebery from 1892 to 1895. However, he is best remembered as a supporter of women's suffrage in the House of Commons. Woodall became leader of the woman suffrage party in the House of Commons in 1884 and several times unsuccessfully presented bills for the introduction of women's suffrage. He was also a firm supporter of Irish Home Rule.
Woodall married Evelyn, daughter of his employer James Macintyre, in 1862. They had no children. She died in 1870. Woodall remained a widower until his death in April 1901, aged 69.
[edit] References
- Lee, Sir Sidney (editor). The Dictionary of National Biography. Supplement: January 1901-December 1911. Oxford University Press.
- Leigh Rayment's Peerage Page
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Robert Heath Edward Kenealy |
Member of Parliament for Stoke-upon-Trent with Henry Broadhurst 1880–1885 |
Succeeded by William Leatham Bright (representation reduced to one member 1885) |
| Preceded by New constituency |
Member of Parliament for Hanley 1885–1901 |
Succeeded by Arthur Howard Heath |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by Guy Dawnay |
Surveyor-General of the Ordnance 1886 |
Succeeded by Henry Northcote |
| Preceded by St John Brodrick |
Financial Secretary to the War Office 1892–1895 |
Succeeded by Joseph Powell-Williams |
