Michael Williams (MP)

Michael Williams (3 June 1785 – 15 June 1858) was a mining entrepreneur and politician, the MP for West Cornwall from 19 July 1853 until his death in June 1858.[1]

He was the second son of John Williams "the Third" (23 September 1753 – 17 April 1841), the Cornish industrialist, of the Williams family. He bought Caerhays Castle.[2]

On 5 March 1813, he married Elizabeth Eales (d. 1852).[1]

Business interests

The Williams family bought the Morfa Copper Smelting Works in Swansea in 1831. Michael Williams was vested with the responsibility of the Welsh business and was appointed High Sheriff of Glamorgan for 1840.[3]

He was a Director of the Cornwall Railway and chaired its Ordinary Meeting on 3 March 1854, whose proceedings were reported in The Times, in two advertisements on 10 March.[4] He was still the chair of the Company in June 1857,[5] when a Special General Meeting was announced. He was also a partner in the Cornish Bank, which was largely owned by his family.[1]

Politics

He was the only nomination as MP for West Cornwall, at a by-election, following the death of Edward Wynne-Pendarves, on 26 June 1853. Michael Williams and Richard Davey were returned unopposed as Liberals on 19 July 1857.[6] He was re-elected, again without opposition, at the General Election of 1857.[7]

Death

The Times received by electric telegraph and published on 16 June, news of his death "a little after 5 o'clock" on 15 June 1858 at Trevince,.[8] He was aged 74.

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References
  1. Garry Tregidga, "Williams, John Charles (1861–1939)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, May 2009. Retrieved 16 May 2017.
  2. Purchase of Caerhays - source: Maurice Smelt 101 Cornish Lives, Alison Hodge (2006), ISBN 0-906720-50-8. page 248: article on John Williams (1753-1841)
  3. "Smelting". Cornish Mining World Heritage. 22 March 2019. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  4. The Times, Friday, 10 March 1854; pg. 5; Issue 21685; col A
  5. The Times, Tuesday, 16 June 1857; pg. 4; Issue 22708; col A.
  6. The Times, Monday, 11 July 1853; pg. 3; Issue 21477; col D "Election Intelligence":(Election and its expected conclusion announced).
  7. The Times, Saturday, 21 March 1857; pg. 12; Issue 22634; col A and The Times, Wednesday, 1 April 1857; pg. 5; Issue 22643; col E "The Elections".
  8. The Times, Wednesday, 16 June 1858; pg. 5; Issue 23021; col D
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Edward William Wynne Pendarves
and Charles Lemon		 Member of Parliament for West Cornwall
1853–1858
With: Charles Lemon to 1857
Richard Davey from 1857)		 Succeeded by
John St Aubyn
and Richard Davey


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