Christmas Price Williams
Encyclopedia
Christmas Price Williams (25 December 1881 – 18 August 1965) was a Welsh Liberal
politician.
. He went to Grove Park School in Wrexham and at Mold, Flintshire
before attending Victoria University of Manchester
where he received a B.Sc honours degree in science and an M.Sc. In 1909 he married Marion Davies of Brymbo who was the author of a number of novels and plays.
, Warrington
and also in South Africa
. He worked as a fitter and draughtsman but also held important managerial positions and undertook research on the industrial capacity and potential of Canada.
as Member of Parliament
at the 1924 general election
. Williams was fighting the sitting Labour MP, Professor Robert Richards
who was also a government minister, Under-Secretary of State for India
. Williams was fortunate that the local Conservatives
decided to withdraw their candidate, E.F.Bushby, at the last minute to ensure a straight fight between Socialist and non-socialist candidates. At the previous election the Liberal vote had exceeded Bushby’s vote by only a few hundred.
While in Parliament, Williams seems to have taken a particular interest in imports and exports (notably of coal) both to the Empire and foreign countries asking details questions of the relevant ministers. He also made an official visit to Barcelona in 1926 to see the working of a hydro-electric plant. Williams was a supporter of David Lloyd George
and in February 1927 he co-sponsored a Landlord and Tenant Bill with Lloyd George and other Welsh MPs, strengthening the rights of tenants. He supported Lloyd George as chairman of the Parliamentary Liberal Party and generally voted with him when the party was split over whether or not to support the government in the lobbies.
Bushby was not so generous and Williams faced a three-cornered contest, with Robert Richards again standing for Labour. Despite the Liberal Party’s improved performance nationally at this election, Williams was unable to hold his seat which Richards regained for Labour. Bushby had had enough however and announced his intention to stand down from Wrexham politics at the next election.
. The sitting MP and future Liberal leader Clement Davies
had reluctantly decided to stand down after having been appointed a director of Unilever
and having given the Board an undertaking not to carry on as an MP. At first Davies’ wife had been willing to stand instead but she too withdrew and the local Association adopted Williams to be their candidate at the 1931 general election
. As the election approached however Unilever lifted their objection to Davies’ continuing in politics and, while Davies told Williams he would support him if he wished to stand, Williams agreed to withdraw in Davies’ favour. Later correspondence from Davies indicates that he thought Williams would lose the election because the Conservatives would have opposed him in a three-cornered contest but once Davies was re-selected, the Tory candidate stood down and Davies was returned unopposed.
Williams also served as a Justice of the Peace
.
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.
Family and education
Williams was born on Christmas Day, 1881 the son of Peter Williams, Managing Director of the Brymbo Steel Company near WrexhamWrexham
Wrexham is a town in Wales. It is the administrative centre of the wider Wrexham County Borough, and the largest town in North Wales, located in the east of the region. It is situated between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley close to the border with Cheshire, England...
. He went to Grove Park School in Wrexham and at Mold, Flintshire
Mold, Flintshire
Mold is a town in Flintshire, North Wales, on the River Alyn. It is the administrative seat of Flintshire County Council, and was also the county town of Clwyd from 1974 to 1996...
before attending Victoria University of Manchester
Victoria University of Manchester
The Victoria University of Manchester was a university in Manchester, England. On 1 October 2004 it merged with the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology to form a new entity, "The University of Manchester".-1851 - 1951:The University was founded in 1851 as Owens College,...
where he received a B.Sc honours degree in science and an M.Sc. In 1909 he married Marion Davies of Brymbo who was the author of a number of novels and plays.
Career
Williams went into engineering and worked in enterprises in SheffieldSheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
, Warrington
Warrington
Warrington is a town, borough and unitary authority area of Cheshire, England. It stands on the banks of the River Mersey, which is tidal to the west of the weir at Howley. It lies 16 miles east of Liverpool, 19 miles west of Manchester and 8 miles south of St Helens...
and also in 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...
. He worked as a fitter and draughtsman but also held important managerial positions and undertook research on the industrial capacity and potential of Canada.
MP for Wrexham
Williams was elected to represent WrexhamWrexham (UK Parliament constituency)
Wrexham is a parliamentary constituency in North Wales which is represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
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,...
at the 1924 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1924
- Seats summary :- References :* F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* - External links :* * *...
. Williams was fighting the sitting Labour MP, Professor Robert Richards
Robert Richards (Welsh politician)
Robert Richards was a British Labour Party politician, who served as Member of Parliament for Wrexham in North Wales for three periods between 1929 and 1954....
who was also a government minister, Under-Secretary of State for India
Under-Secretary of State for India
This is a list of Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State and Permanent Under-Secretaries of State at the India Office during the period of British rule between 1866 and 1948, and for Burma from 1858-1948....
. Williams was fortunate that the local Conservatives
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...
decided to withdraw their candidate, E.F.Bushby, at the last minute to ensure a straight fight between Socialist and non-socialist candidates. At the previous election the Liberal vote had exceeded Bushby’s vote by only a few hundred.
While in Parliament, Williams seems to have taken a particular interest in imports and exports (notably of coal) both to the Empire and foreign countries asking details questions of the relevant ministers. He also made an official visit to Barcelona in 1926 to see the working of a hydro-electric plant. Williams was a supporter of David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor OM, PC was a British Liberal politician and statesman...
and in February 1927 he co-sponsored a Landlord and Tenant Bill with Lloyd George and other Welsh MPs, strengthening the rights of tenants. He supported Lloyd George as chairman of the Parliamentary Liberal Party and generally voted with him when the party was split over whether or not to support the government in the lobbies.
The 1929 general election
At the 1929 general electionUnited Kingdom general election, 1929
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
Bushby was not so generous and Williams faced a three-cornered contest, with Robert Richards again standing for Labour. Despite the Liberal Party’s improved performance nationally at this election, Williams was unable to hold his seat which Richards regained for Labour. Bushby had had enough however and announced his intention to stand down from Wrexham politics at the next election.
Montgomeryshire
Disappointed at his inability to hold onto Wrexham, Williams followed Bushby with a similar statement in 1930 but he nearly made it back into the House of Commons for the traditionally Liberal seat of MontgomeryshireMontgomeryshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Montgomeryshire is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Created in 1542, it elects one Member of Parliament , traditionally known as the knight of the shire, by the first-past-the-post system of election.The Montgomeryshire Welsh Assembly...
. The sitting MP and future Liberal leader Clement Davies
Clement Davies
Clement Edward Davies KC, MP was a Welsh politician and leader of the Liberal Party from 1945 to 1956.-Life:...
had reluctantly decided to stand down after having been appointed a director of Unilever
Unilever
Unilever is a British-Dutch multinational corporation that owns many of the world's consumer product brands in foods, beverages, cleaning agents and personal care products....
and having given the Board an undertaking not to carry on as an MP. At first Davies’ wife had been willing to stand instead but she too withdrew and the local Association adopted Williams to be their candidate at the 1931 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1931
The United Kingdom general election on Tuesday 27 October 1931 was the last in the United Kingdom not held on a Thursday. It was also the last election, and the only one under universal suffrage, where one party received an absolute majority of the votes cast.The 1931 general election was the...
. As the election approached however Unilever lifted their objection to Davies’ continuing in politics and, while Davies told Williams he would support him if he wished to stand, Williams agreed to withdraw in Davies’ favour. Later correspondence from Davies indicates that he thought Williams would lose the election because the Conservatives would have opposed him in a three-cornered contest but once Davies was re-selected, the Tory candidate stood down and Davies was returned unopposed.
Williams also served as a Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
.