Sir William David King (1829 – 22 October 1902) was an English

Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...

politician, auctioneer and four times

Mayor of Portsmouth This is a description of the role of The Lord Mayor of Portsmouth and a list of notable Mayors and the later Lord Mayors of the city of Portsmouth in the United Kingdom. Portsmouth had elected a mayor annually since 1531. The city was awarde ...

1877–1878, 1878–1879, 1886–1887 and 1889–1890.

Biography

King was born in

Portsmouth Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is administered by Portsmouth City Council. Portsmouth is the most dens ...

1829, the son of builder Joseph King, and was educated locally. He began his business at Midhurst, but in 1857 moved back to Portsmouth where he was established as an auctioneer linked with another future mayor of the city, Thomas King (not related). The firm of King & King, Auctioneers and Estate Agents, then traded from 130 Queen Street,

Portsea Portsea may refer to: * Portsea, Victoria, a seaside town in Australia * Portsea Island, an island on the south coast of England contained within the city of Portsmouth * Portsea, Portsmouth Portsea Island is a flat and low-lying natural i ...

. King was elected to the city council in 1872, and was unanimously elected Mayor of Portsmouth in 1877–78, then re-elected for 1878–79. He was elected Alderman of the city in 1878. During his years as mayor he opened

Victoria Park Victoria Park may refer to: Places Australia * Victoria Park Nature Reserve, a protected area in Northern Rivers region, New South Wales * Victoria Park, Adelaide, a park and racecourse * Victoria Park, Brisbane, a public park and former golf ...

in May 1878, the first public park in the city, and the following year a hospital for the mentally ill. Ten years later, the city councillors wanted an experienced mayor for the year marking

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 21 ...

′s golden jubilee, and he was re-elected for the year 1886–87. Portsmouth hosted the Review of the Fleet to mark the jubilee, and King was one of the ten English Mayors to be

knighted A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the Christian denomination, church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood ...

in honour of the Jubilee. He received the honour at Osborne House on 2 August 1887, the first Portsmouth mayor to be so honoured for forty years. King had been involved with the planning and building of a new town hall for the city during his years as mayor, and when it was finally finished in 1890, the council again elected him mayor for the year of the opening. The

Portsmouth Town Hall Portsmouth Guildhall is a multi-use building in the centre of Portsmouth, UK, located on a pedestrian square close to the Portsmouth and Southsea railway station. Constructed in 1890, the building was known as Portsmouth Town Hall until 1926. It ...

was officially opened by the Prince and Princess of Wales (later King

Edward VII Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910. The second child and eldest son of Queen Victoria an ...

and Queen

Alexandra Alexandra () is the feminine form of the given name Alexander (, ). Etymologically, the name is a compound of the Greek verb (; meaning 'to defend') and (; GEN , ; meaning 'man'). Thus it may be roughly translated as "defender of man" or "prot ...

) in August 1890, with King as the host. After stepping down from the mayoralty four the fourth time, King still continued as a prominent person in the city, with several directorships. He was appointed a deputy lieutenant of

Hampshire Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants) is a ceremonial county, ceremonial and non-metropolitan county, non-metropolitan counties of England, county in western South East England on the coast of the English Channel. Home to two major English citi ...

. King died at his residence Stratford Lodge, Southsea, on 22 October 1902.

Family

King married, in 1853, Matilda Atkey, of

Chichester Chichester () is a cathedral city and civil parish in West Sussex, England.OS Explorer map 120: Chichester, South Harting and Selsey Scale: 1:25 000. Publisher:Ordnance Survey – Southampton B2 edition. Publishing Date:2009. It is the only ci ...

. Lady King died in 1894.

References

External links

* 1829 births 1902 deaths Mayors of Portsmouth Knights Bachelor Deputy Lieutenants of Hampshire {{England-mayor-stub