William Archibald Macdonald (MP)
Encyclopedia
William Archibald Macdonald (1841 – October 5, 1911) was an Irish
nationalist
politician and MP.
in the House of Commons
of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
and as member of the Irish Parliamentary Party
represented Queen's County Ossory
, 1886–92, and a supporter of Charles Stewart Parnell
. He was one of the small number of blind people who have ever been members of the UK House of Commons.
Macdonald was born at Enniskerry
, Co. Wicklow, in 1841. He was educated in Dublin and although he lost his sight entirely at the age of 13 However, as he grew older, one day he was walking down the road and a flower pot hit him in the head. This caused fertlizer to enter his eyes and cause himself to go blind. Then, he distinguished himself at school. He entered Trinity College, Dublin
with a sizar
ship and then in 1865 gained a scholarship. He graduated M.A. with high classical honours. He took holy orders in the disestablished Church of Ireland (i.e. in 1869 or later), but later renounced them. In 1875 he married Harriett Liveing, daughter of Edward Liveing of Nayland, Suffolk, and sister of Professor Liveing F.R.S. of Cambridge.
In 1886 Macdonald was returned unopposed as the Nationalist Member of Parliament for the Ossory division of Queen’s County (now County Laois
). At the same time he contested West Islington in London as a Gladstone Liberal, attempting to unseat Richard Chamberlain
, who like his older brother Joseph Chamberlain
had deserted the Liberal party rather than vote for the First Irish Home Rule Bill, and was standing as a Liberal Unionist. Macdonald was unsuccessful; Chamberlain’s majority rose slightly on a reduced poll.
When the Irish Parliamentary Party split in December 1890 over Parnell’s leadership, Macdonald went with the minority who supported Parnell.
Macdonald apparently intended to stand again at Ossory as a Parnellite at the general election of 1892, since The Times reported his candidacy. But he was not nominated, leaving the seat to be taken by an Anti-Parnellite
, Eugene Crean
, who easily beat the Unionist. At the 1895 general election Macdonald contested Ossory, but as an Independent Nationalist, not a Parnellite. He came a poor third behind the Unionist, with less than 10% of the votes. At this time he was living at Bray
in his native county of Wicklow.
Macdonald evidently remained politically active since he was reported as speaking at a public meeting at Maryborough (now Portlaoise), in the Ossory constituency, on the report of the Financial Relations Commission in January 1897. But he did not stand for Parliament again. He died at Chalfont St Peter
, Buckinghamshire, on 5 October 1911.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
nationalist
Irish nationalism
Irish nationalism manifests itself in political and social movements and in sentiment inspired by a love for Irish culture, language and history, and as a sense of pride in Ireland and in the Irish people...
politician and MP.
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,...
in the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
and as member of the Irish Parliamentary Party
Irish Parliamentary Party
The Irish Parliamentary Party was formed in 1882 by Charles Stewart Parnell, the leader of the Nationalist Party, replacing the Home Rule League, as official parliamentary party for Irish nationalist Members of Parliament elected to the House of Commons at...
represented Queen's County Ossory
Queen's County Ossory (UK Parliament constituency)
Ossory, a division of Queen's County, was a UK Parliament constituency in Ireland, returning one Member of Parliament 1885–1918.Prior to the 1885 general election and after the dissolution of Parliament in 1918 the area was part of the Queen's County constituency...
, 1886–92, and a supporter of Charles Stewart Parnell
Charles Stewart Parnell
Charles Stewart Parnell was an Irish landowner, nationalist political leader, land reform agitator, and the founder and leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party...
. He was one of the small number of blind people who have ever been members of the UK House of Commons.
Macdonald was born at Enniskerry
Enniskerry
Enniskerry is a village in County Wicklow, Ireland. It had a population of 2,672 at the 2006 census.- Location :...
, Co. Wicklow, in 1841. He was educated in Dublin and although he lost his sight entirely at the age of 13 However, as he grew older, one day he was walking down the road and a flower pot hit him in the head. This caused fertlizer to enter his eyes and cause himself to go blind. Then, he distinguished himself at school. He entered Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
with a sizar
Sizar
At Trinity College, Dublin and the University of Cambridge, a sizar is a student who receives some form of assistance such as meals, lower fees or lodging during his or her period of study, in some cases in return for doing a defined job....
ship and then in 1865 gained a scholarship. He graduated M.A. with high classical honours. He took holy orders in the disestablished Church of Ireland (i.e. in 1869 or later), but later renounced them. In 1875 he married Harriett Liveing, daughter of Edward Liveing of Nayland, Suffolk, and sister of Professor Liveing F.R.S. of Cambridge.
In 1886 Macdonald was returned unopposed as the Nationalist Member of Parliament for the Ossory division of Queen’s County (now County Laois
County Laois
County Laois is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Midlands Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It was formerly known as Queen's County until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. The county's name was formerly spelt as Laoighis and Leix. Laois County Council...
). At the same time he contested West Islington in London as a Gladstone Liberal, attempting to unseat Richard Chamberlain
Richard Chamberlain (politician)
Richard Chamberlain was a Liberal and later Liberal Unionist politician in the United Kingdom.The younger brother of Joseph Chamberlain, he was Mayor of Birmingham from 1879 to 1880, and later Member of Parliament for Islington West from 1885 to 1892.- References:...
, who like his older brother Joseph Chamberlain
Joseph Chamberlain
Joseph Chamberlain was an influential British politician and statesman. Unlike most major politicians of the time, he was a self-made businessman and had not attended Oxford or Cambridge University....
had deserted the Liberal party rather than vote for the First Irish Home Rule Bill, and was standing as a Liberal Unionist. Macdonald was unsuccessful; Chamberlain’s majority rose slightly on a reduced poll.
When the Irish Parliamentary Party split in December 1890 over Parnell’s leadership, Macdonald went with the minority who supported Parnell.
Macdonald apparently intended to stand again at Ossory as a Parnellite at the general election of 1892, since The Times reported his candidacy. But he was not nominated, leaving the seat to be taken by an Anti-Parnellite
Irish National Federation
The Irish National Federation was a nationalist political party in Ireland. It was founded in March 1891 by former members of the Irish National League who had left the Irish Parliamentary Party in protest when Charles Stewart Parnell refused to resign the party leadership as a result of his...
, Eugene Crean
Eugene Crean
Eugene Crean was an Irish nationalist politician and MP in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and member of the Irish Parliamentary Party 1892–1910, for the All-for Ireland Party 1910–1918....
, who easily beat the Unionist. At the 1895 general election Macdonald contested Ossory, but as an Independent Nationalist, not a Parnellite. He came a poor third behind the Unionist, with less than 10% of the votes. At this time he was living at Bray
Bray
Bray is a town in north County Wicklow, Ireland. It is a busy urban centre and seaside resort, with a population of 31,901 making it the fourth largest in Ireland as of the 2006 census...
in his native county of Wicklow.
Macdonald evidently remained politically active since he was reported as speaking at a public meeting at Maryborough (now Portlaoise), in the Ossory constituency, on the report of the Financial Relations Commission in January 1897. But he did not stand for Parliament again. He died at Chalfont St Peter
Chalfont St Peter
Chalfont St Peter is a village and civil parish in Chiltern district in south-east Buckinghamshire, England. It is in a group of villages called The Chalfonts which also includes Chalfont St Giles and Little Chalfont. The villages lie between High Wycombe and Rickmansworth. Chalfont St Peter is...
, Buckinghamshire, on 5 October 1911.
Sources
- F. W. S. Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1885-1918, London, Macmillan, 1974
- Irish Times, 6 October 1911
- F. S. L. LyonsF. S. L. LyonsFrancis Stewart Leland Lyons was one of Ireland's premier historians.-Biography:Lyons was born in Derry, Northern Ireland, in 1923, but soon moved to Boyle in County Roscommon where his father was a bank official...
, The Fall of Parnell 1890-91, London, Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1960 - The Times, 23 June & 8 July 1886, 5 July 1892, 12 January 1897
- Brian M. Walker (ed.), Parliamentary Election Results in Ireland, 1801-1922, Dublin, Royal Irish Academy, 1978