William Preston (February 1874 - 22 November 1941) was a British industrialist and Conservative politician.
Born in 1874, Preston was educated at Walsall Grammar School and Weston School, Bath.[1] In 1907 he married Lilly Swinton Sanders, and he became managing director of William Sanders & Co (Wednesbury) Limited, a major manufacturer of electrical switching equipment.[2] He played cricket for Staffordshire in the Minor Counties Championship,[3] making one appearance in 1901 against Northamptonshire and another in 1911, against Lincolnshire.[4]
At the 1924 general election, Preston was chosen as Conservative candidate for the Walsall constituency. He unseated the sitting Liberal MP, Patrick Collins.[5] However, following his election, it was discovered that Preston had received payments for two small contracts to supply electrical fittings to the Post Office stores department. As a government contractor, Preston was ineligible to stand for Parliament, and his election was declared void.[6]
| Short Title: | William Preston Indemnity Act 1925 |
| Type: | Act |
| Parliament: | Parliament of the United Kingdom |
| Long Title: | An Act to indemnify and relieve William Preston, Esquire, from any penal consequences which he may have incurred or suffered by sitting or voting as a member of the House of Commons during a time when he was executing, holding or enjoying a contract, agreement or commission made or entered into with the Postmaster-General, and for purposes incidental thereto. |
| Year: | 1925 |
| Citation: | 15 & 16 Geo. 5. c. 7 |
| Royal Assent: | 5 March 1925 |
| Collapsed: | yes |
Having overcome his legal difficulties, Preston was selected as Conservative candidate at the ensuing by-election.[7] The poll was held on 27 February, and Preston was elected ahead of Liberal and Labour candidates, with a similar majority to that gained at the 1924 election.[8]
Preston was only a member of the House of Commons for one term. At the 1929 general election there was a swing to Labour, and he was defeated by the party's candidate John James McShane. He retired from politics. William Preston died after a long illness at his home, Gorway, Walsall in November 1941, aged 67.[9]