William Hale (died 1717) facts for kids

William Hale (born around 1686 – died October 2, 1717) was a British politician who belonged to the Whig party. The Whigs were a major political group in Britain during his time.

William Hale's Life Story

Early Life and Family

William Hale was the son of Richard Hale from King's Walden, a place in Hertfordshire, England. His mother was Elizabeth Meynell. Sadly, William's father, Richard, passed away in 1689. The next year, in 1690, his mother Elizabeth married again, this time to Robert Cecil.

Education

When William was about 16 years old, in 1702, he started studying at Brasenose College, Oxford, which is a famous university in England.

Political Career and Parliament

William Hale became a Member of Parliament (MP), which means he was elected to represent people in the British Parliament.

First Election in Bramber

In 1708, William Hale and another politician named Sir Cleave More ran for election in a place called Bramber. They were Whig candidates. They didn't win at first, as two politicians from the Tory party won instead. However, William and Sir Cleave complained about the election results. After a review, they were given their seats in Parliament on January 15, 1709.

Important Votes

While in Parliament, William Hale supported some important ideas. He voted to allow people from a region called Palatine to become British citizens. He also voted in a process called "impeachment" against a person named Henry Sacheverell. Impeachment is a way to formally accuse a public official of wrongdoing.

Elections in St Albans

In 1713, William Hale was elected as an MP for St Albans. During this time, he voted against removing another MP, Richard Steele, from Parliament. However, William Hale himself was soon removed from his seat after someone complained about his election.

He didn't give up! In 1715, he ran for the St Albans seat again and won. He continued to serve as an MP until he passed away on October 2, 1717.

William Hale's Family

William Hale married a woman named Catherine Paggen. She was the daughter of Peter Paggen from Wandsworth, a town in Surrey. William and Catherine had two sons:

• William Hale (who died in 1741)
• Paggen Hale (who died in 1755 and also became an MP)

After William Hale passed away, his wife Catherine married again. Her second husband was Humphry Morice, who later became the Governor of the Bank of England.