William Cox (British politician)
William Cox (1817 – 12 December 1889) was a British solicitor and Liberal Party politician.
Cox qualified as a solicitor in 1840 and became a member of the Common Council of the City of London in 1851.[1] In 1857 he was chosen as a candidate to contest the two-seat constituency of Finsbury as a Whig and supporter of the policy of Lord Palmerston.[2] The election was held on 29 March, and Cox was elected, coming second of the four candidates, with a majority of 156 votes over the third-placed candidate.[3]
When a further general election was called in 1859, Cox found himself opposed by two other Liberal candidates. He lost his seat, with The Standard noting satirically that:
"...the honourable gentleman neither spared his lungs nor his powers of sitting out the most long-winded debate... He had almost arrived at the distinction of being called a bore... Happily for his peace, his health, and his pocket, his too Liberal career has been stopped by an oblivious constituency".[4]
On 13 November 1861 one of the sitting members of parliament for Finsbury, Thomas Slingsby Duncombe, died.[5] On 9 December Cox announced that he would seek election in the resulting by-election.[6] The by-election was held on 16 December, and Cox defeated his only opponent, J R Mills by 42 votes.[7]
Cox held the seat until the next general election in July 1865. He was one of four Liberal candidates who, along with a lone Conservative, contested the seat.[8] He failed to be re-elected, finishing in third place with 5,008 votes, more than 2,800 behind the second-placed candidate.[9]
Between c.1861 and c.1868 Cox commissioned a house to be built in the village of Netteswell, Essex.[10] The house was called 'Spurriers'. Cox lived in the house until his death in December 1889 aged 72.[11][12] William Cox is buried in the parish of St Andrew's churchyard, Netteswell, Harlow.
References
[edit]- ^ Disraeli, Benjamin (2004). Letters: 1857-1859. University of Toronto Press. p. 70. ISBN 9780802087287.
- ^ "The Representation of Finsbury". The Era. 22 March 1857.
- ^ "The General Election. Members Returned". The Standard. 30 March 1857.
- ^ "The Result of the Elections". The Standard. 3 May 1859. p. 4.
- ^ "Death of Mr. Thomas Slingsby Duncombe, M.P.". The Morning Post. 15 November 1861.
- ^ "Summary". Liverpool Mercury. 10 December 1861.
- ^ "Finsbury Election. Declaration of the Poll". The Morning Chronicle. 18 December 1861.
- ^ "The General Election. List of Names of Candidates". Pall Mall Gazette. 10 July 1865.
- ^ "Election Intelligence". The Daily News. 13 July 1865.
- ^ "Parishes: Netteswell". A History of the County of Essex: Volume 8. Victoria County History. 1983. pp. 206–213.
- ^ "Deaths". Lloyd's Weekly Newspaper. 22 December 1889.
- ^ "Deaths". The Times. 14 December 1889. p. 1.
External links
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