William Sproston Caine
Encyclopedia
William Sproston Caine was a British politician and Temperance
advocate.
Caine was born at Seacombe
, Cheshire
, and was the eldest surviving son of Nathaniel Caine, a metal merchant from Cheshire
, and was educated at private schools in Egremont, Merseyside
and Birkenhead
before entering his father's business in 1861. In 1864 he was made a partner, before moving to Liverpool
in 1871. Public Affairs soon began to occupy large amounts of his attention, and he left the firm in 1878.
After his retirement from his father's company he retained the directorship of the Hodbarrow Mining Co. Ltd, Millom, and he secured the controlling interest in the Shaw's Brown Iron Co., Liverpool, leaving the management of the concern in the hands of his partner, Arthur S. Cox. The business collapsed in 1893, leaving large amounts of debt which were honourably discharged, but Caine's resources were afterwards largely devoted to paying off the mortgage which he raised to meet the firm's losses.
Caine was brought up as a Baptist under the ministry of Hugh Stowell Brown
, whose daughter Alice married Caine in 1868; they had two sons and three daughters. He soon after became interested in the Temperance Movement, and joined the Liverpool Temperance and Band of Hope Union, also becoming chairman of the Popular Control and License Reform Association. In 1873 he was elected vice-president of the United Kingdom Alliance
. He was also president of the Baptist Total Abstinence Society, the Congregational Temperance Society, the British Temperance League, and the National Temperance Federation.
Caine first became interested in running for parliament in 1873 to advance his Temperance views, and unsuccessfully contested Liverpool
in 1873 and 1874 for the Liberal Party
. In 1880 he was returned for Scarborough
and, identifying with the extreme radical side, began pushing his views on Temperance onto the house of commons. In 1884 he was made Civil Lord of the Admiralty in succession to Thomas Brassey
, retaining his seat in parliament through the necessary by-election but losing in the 1885 general election.
In 1886 he was returned for Barrow-in-Furness
after a by-election, and played an active part in organising the Liberal Unionist Party
, which was nicknamed the "Brand of Caine" as a result. Caine was appointed Chief Whip for the Liberal Unionists, but his extreme temperance views soon damaged the Unionist alliance with the Conservative Party. After the passing of a scheme compensating holders of extinguished public-house licences Caine resigned as Whip and his position in the house in protest, running for reelection through a by-election as an Independent Liberal, but was defeated.
In 1892 he was again elected for Bradford East
but lost his seat at the 1895 election. His daughter Hanna married John Roberts, 1st Baron Clwyd
in 1893. Caine reentered the House in 1900 for Camborne
. Parliamentary activities exhausted his health, and after a trip to South America in 1902 failed to restore it he died of heart failure in 1903 in Mayfair
aged 60.
Due to his opposition to alcohol he was praised by Gandhi
Temperance movement
A temperance movement is a social movement urging reduced use of alcoholic beverages. Temperance movements may criticize excessive alcohol use, promote complete abstinence , or pressure the government to enact anti-alcohol legislation or complete prohibition of alcohol.-Temperance movement by...
advocate.
Caine was born at Seacombe
Seacombe
Seacombe is a district of the town of Wallasey, on the Wirral Peninsula, England. Administratively, Seacombe is a ward of the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral. Before local government reorganisation in 1 April 1974, it was part of the County Borough of Wallasey, within the geographical county of...
, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, and was the eldest surviving son of Nathaniel Caine, a metal merchant from Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, and was educated at private schools in Egremont, Merseyside
Egremont, Merseyside
Egremont is an area of the town of Wallasey, on the Wirral Peninsula, England. It is bordered by New Brighton to the north, Liscard to the west and Seacombe to the south.-History:...
and Birkenhead
Birkenhead
Birkenhead is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in Merseyside, England. It is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the west bank of the River Mersey, opposite the city of Liverpool...
before entering his father's business in 1861. In 1864 he was made a partner, before moving to Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
in 1871. Public Affairs soon began to occupy large amounts of his attention, and he left the firm in 1878.
After his retirement from his father's company he retained the directorship of the Hodbarrow Mining Co. Ltd, Millom, and he secured the controlling interest in the Shaw's Brown Iron Co., Liverpool, leaving the management of the concern in the hands of his partner, Arthur S. Cox. The business collapsed in 1893, leaving large amounts of debt which were honourably discharged, but Caine's resources were afterwards largely devoted to paying off the mortgage which he raised to meet the firm's losses.
Caine was brought up as a Baptist under the ministry of Hugh Stowell Brown
Hugh Stowell Brown
Hugh Stowell Brown Christian minister and renowned preacher.Hugh Stowell Brown was a preacher, pastor and social reformer in Liverpool in the nineteenth century. His public lectures and work among the poor brought him great renown. On his death a statue was raised to him, one of only three...
, whose daughter Alice married Caine in 1868; they had two sons and three daughters. He soon after became interested in the Temperance Movement, and joined the Liverpool Temperance and Band of Hope Union, also becoming chairman of the Popular Control and License Reform Association. In 1873 he was elected vice-president of the United Kingdom Alliance
United Kingdom Alliance
The United Kingdom Alliance was a temperance movement in the United Kingdom founded on 20 July 1852. It was based in Manchester and sought to outlaw the alcohol trade.-History:...
. He was also president of the Baptist Total Abstinence Society, the Congregational Temperance Society, the British Temperance League, and the National Temperance Federation.
Caine first became interested in running for parliament in 1873 to advance his Temperance views, and unsuccessfully contested Liverpool
Liverpool (UK Parliament constituency)
Liverpool was a Borough constituency in the county of Lancashire of the House of Commons for the Parliament of England to 1706 then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1885. It was represented by two Members of Parliament...
in 1873 and 1874 for the Liberal Party
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...
. In 1880 he was returned for Scarborough
Scarborough (UK Parliament constituency)
Scarborough was the name of a constituency in Yorkshire, electing Members of Parliament to the House of Commons, at two periods. From 1295 until 1918 it was a parliamentary borough consisting only of the town of Scarborough, electing two MPs until 1885 and one from 1885 until 1918...
and, identifying with the extreme radical side, began pushing his views on Temperance onto the house of commons. In 1884 he was made Civil Lord of the Admiralty in succession to Thomas Brassey
Thomas Brassey
Thomas Brassey was an English civil engineering contractor and manufacturer of building materials who was responsible for building much of the world's railways in the 19th century. By 1847, he had built about one-third of the railways in Britain, and by time of his death in 1870 he had built one...
, retaining his seat in parliament through the necessary by-election but losing in the 1885 general election.
In 1886 he was returned for Barrow-in-Furness
Barrow and Furness (UK Parliament constituency)
Barrow and Furness is a parliamentary constituency in Cumbria, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
after a by-election, and played an active part in organising the Liberal Unionist Party
Liberal Unionist Party
The Liberal Unionist Party was a British political party that was formed in 1886 by a faction that broke away from the Liberal Party. Led by Lord Hartington and Joseph Chamberlain, the party formed a political alliance with the Conservative Party in opposition to Irish Home Rule...
, which was nicknamed the "Brand of Caine" as a result. Caine was appointed Chief Whip for the Liberal Unionists, but his extreme temperance views soon damaged the Unionist alliance with the Conservative Party. After the passing of a scheme compensating holders of extinguished public-house licences Caine resigned as Whip and his position in the house in protest, running for reelection through a by-election as an Independent Liberal, but was defeated.
In 1892 he was again elected for Bradford East
Bradford East (UK Parliament constituency)
Bradford East is the name of a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The constituency originally existed from 1885 to 1974 and was recreated for the 2010 general election, electing one Member of Parliament by the first past the post...
but lost his seat at the 1895 election. His daughter Hanna married John Roberts, 1st Baron Clwyd
John Roberts, 1st Baron Clwyd
John Herbert Roberts, 1st Baron Clwyd , known as Sir John Roberts, 1st Baronet, from 1903 to 1919, was a Welsh Liberal politician....
in 1893. Caine reentered the House in 1900 for Camborne
Camborne (UK Parliament constituency)
Camborne was a county constituency in Cornwall which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
. Parliamentary activities exhausted his health, and after a trip to South America in 1902 failed to restore it he died of heart failure in 1903 in Mayfair
Mayfair
Mayfair is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster.-History:Mayfair is named after the annual fortnight-long May Fair that took place on the site that is Shepherd Market today...
aged 60.
Due to his opposition to alcohol he was praised by Gandhi