Sir William Prescott, 1st Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir William Henry Prescott, 1st Baronet CBE
, DL
(1874 – 15 June 1945) was a British
engineer and Conservative Party
politician.
The son of John Prescott, he initially studied law and was called to the bar
at Gray's Inn
in 1909. He subsequently took up a career in civil engineering
, acting as a consultant to a number of government committees on water supply and roads.
During the First World War
he was commanding officer of 222nd Field Company, Royal Engineers
, part of the British Expeditionary Force on the Western Front
. He was invalided home to the United Kingdom in 1915.
He was elected at the 1918 general election
as Coalition Conservative Member of Parliament
(MP) for Tottenham North
, but stood down at the 1922 election
. Prescott was awarded a CBE
in 1920 for his role is raising troops in Tottenham
and was knighted
in 1921. He was also awarded the King Albert Medal
by Albert I of Belgium
.
A long time member of Middlesex County Council
where he served as an alderman
and vice-chairman, he represented the authority on the Metropolitan Water Board (MWB). He was chairman of the MWB from 1928 to 1940, and two massive steam-driven pumping engines at Kempton Park Pumping Station
were named "William" and "Bessie" after Prescott and his wife. He was appointed in 1924 as a Deputy Lieutenant
of Middlesex, and in 1929 served as High Sheriff
of the county. He was also a member of a number of other committees connected with Middlesex, a member of the Worshipful Company of Paviors
and the Worshipful Company of Glaziers and Painters of Glass
and a Freeman of the City of London.
Prescott retired to Godmanchester
in Huntingdonshire
. In the King's Birthday Honours 1938, he was honoured for his work with the water board by being made a baronet, of Godmanchester in the county of Huntingdon. in the same year he aerved as High Sheriff of Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire.
In 1898 he married Bessie Stanley of Ambleside
, and they had four children. He died at his Godmanchester home in June 1945 and was succeeded in the baronetcy by his eldest son, Richard Stanley Prescott. His second son, William Robert Stanley Prescott
was MP for Darwen
.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, DL
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
(1874 – 15 June 1945) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
engineer and Conservative Party
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...
politician.
The son of John Prescott, he initially studied law and was called to the bar
Call to the bar
The Call to the Bar is a legal term of art in most common law jurisdictions where persons must be qualified to be allowed to argue in court on behalf of another party, and are then said to have been "called to the bar" or to have received a "call to the bar"...
at Gray's Inn
Gray's Inn
The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, commonly known as Gray's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
in 1909. He subsequently took up a career in civil engineering
Civil engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings...
, acting as a consultant to a number of government committees on water supply and roads.
During the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
he was commanding officer of 222nd Field Company, Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
, part of the British Expeditionary Force on the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
. He was invalided home to the United Kingdom in 1915.
He was elected at the 1918 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1918
The United Kingdom general election of 1918 was the first to be held after the Representation of the People Act 1918, which meant it was the first United Kingdom general election in which nearly all adult men and some women could vote. Polling was held on 14 December 1918, although the count did...
as Coalition Conservative 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,...
(MP) for Tottenham North
Tottenham North (UK Parliament constituency)
Tottenham North was a parliamentary constituency centred on the Municipal Borough of Tottenham, in North London. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.-History:...
, but stood down at the 1922 election
United Kingdom general election, 1922
The United Kingdom general election of 1922 was held on 15 November 1922. It was the first election held after most of the Irish counties left the United Kingdom to form the Irish Free State, and was won by Andrew Bonar Law's Conservatives, who gained an overall majority over Labour, led by John...
. Prescott was awarded a CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1920 for his role is raising troops in Tottenham
Tottenham
Tottenham is an area of the London Borough of Haringey, England, situated north north east of Charing Cross.-Toponymy:Tottenham is believed to have been named after Tota, a farmer, whose hamlet was mentioned in the Domesday Book; hence Tota's hamlet became Tottenham...
and was knighted
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
in 1921. He was also awarded the King Albert Medal
King Albert Medal
The King Albert Medal is a Belgian medal which was awarded to both Belgians and foreigners who were exceptionally meritorious in promoting, organising or administering humanitarian and charitable works that assisted Belgians in need during the First World War. It was established on 7 April 1919....
by Albert I of Belgium
Albert I of Belgium
Albert I reigned as King of the Belgians from 1909 until 1934.-Early life:Born Albert Léopold Clément Marie Meinrad in Brussels, he was the fifth child and second son of Prince Philippe, Count of Flanders, and his wife, Princess Marie of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen...
.
A long time member of Middlesex County Council
Middlesex County Council
Middlesex County Council was the principal local government body in the administrative county of Middlesex from 1889 to 1965.The county council was created by the Local Government Act 1888, which also removed the most populous part of the county to constitute the County of London...
where he served as an alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
and vice-chairman, he represented the authority on the Metropolitan Water Board (MWB). He was chairman of the MWB from 1928 to 1940, and two massive steam-driven pumping engines at Kempton Park Pumping Station
Kempton Park Steam Engines
The Kempton Park Steam Engines are two large triple-expansion steam engines, dating from 1926–1929, at the Kempton Park waterworks, Middlesex, London. Each engine is of a similar size to that used in RMS Titanic and rated at about 1008 hp...
were named "William" and "Bessie" after Prescott and his wife. He was appointed in 1924 as a Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
of Middlesex, and in 1929 served as High Sheriff
High Sheriff of Middlesex
This is a list of High Sheriffs of Middlesex.-History of the office:From c.1131–1889 there was no separate sheriff for the county. By a charter of Henry I the livery of the City of London were given the right to elect two sheriffs of "London and Middlesex" on a payment of £300 per annum to...
of the county. He was also a member of a number of other committees connected with Middlesex, a member of the Worshipful Company of Paviors
Worshipful Company of Paviors
The Worshipful Company of Paviors is one of the Livery Companies of the City of London. The Paviors were formed at some point prior to 1276; they were responsible for the paving and maintenance of London's streets. It received a Royal Charter in 1672...
and the Worshipful Company of Glaziers and Painters of Glass
Worshipful Company of Glaziers and Painters of Glass
The Worshipful Company of Glaziers and Painters of Glass is one of the Livery Companies of the City of London. The Guild of Glaziers, or makers of Glass, the Company's forerunner, existed as early as 1328. It received a Royal Charter of incorporation in 1638...
and a Freeman of the City of London.
Prescott retired to Godmanchester
Godmanchester
Godmanchester is a small town and civil parish within the Huntingdonshire district of Cambridgeshire, in England. It lies on the south bank of the River Great Ouse, south of the larger town of Huntingdon, and on the A14 road....
in Huntingdonshire
Huntingdonshire
Huntingdonshire is a local government district of Cambridgeshire, covering the area around Huntingdon. Traditionally it is a county in its own right...
. In the King's Birthday Honours 1938, he was honoured for his work with the water board by being made a baronet, of Godmanchester in the county of Huntingdon. in the same year he aerved as High Sheriff of Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire.
In 1898 he married Bessie Stanley of Ambleside
Ambleside
Ambleside is a town in Cumbria, in North West England.Historically within the county of Westmorland, it is situated at the head of Windermere, England's largest lake...
, and they had four children. He died at his Godmanchester home in June 1945 and was succeeded in the baronetcy by his eldest son, Richard Stanley Prescott. His second son, William Robert Stanley Prescott
Stanley Prescott
Stanley Prescott was a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom.He was educated at St John's College, Cambridge....
was MP for Darwen
Darwen (UK Parliament constituency)
Darwen was a county constituency in Lancashire, centred on the town of Darwen. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 until it was abolished for the 1983 general election....
.