William Hucks facts for kids

William Hucks (born 1672, died 1740) was an English brewer and a politician from the Whig party. He was a member of the House of Commons, which is like a parliament, from 1709 to 1740.

Early Life and Brewing Business

William Hucks was born on October 22, 1672. He was the oldest son of William Hucks, who owned a brewery in a part of London called St Giles-in-the-Fields. His family's brewery was called the Horn brewery and was located on Duke Street in Bloomsbury.

William followed in his father's footsteps and became a brewer too. In 1687, he became a "Freeman" of the Brewers' Company, which meant he was officially allowed to work in the brewing trade. When his father passed away in 1691, William took over the family brewery. He worked there with his brothers and later with his own son. In 1696, he married Elizabeth Selwood.

Becoming a Member of Parliament

William Hucks wanted to become a Member of Parliament (MP), which is a person elected to represent an area in the House of Commons.

First Attempts to Join Parliament

In 1698, William first tried to become an MP for a town called Abingdon, but he didn't win that election. He tried again in 1708. Even though he didn't win the first vote, he was later declared the winner on January 20, 1709, after a special review. This meant he officially became the MP for Abingdon.

Supporting Whig Policies

As a Whig politician, William Hucks supported certain ideas. For example, in 1709, he supported a law to allow people from a region called Palatine to become British citizens. In 1710, he also supported the impeachment (a formal accusation) of Dr. Sacheverell.

Representing Wallingford

In the 1710 election, William tried to become an MP for Wallingford, but he wasn't successful that time. However, in the 1715 election, he tried again and won the seat for Wallingford.

Also in 1715, he was given the special job of "King's Brewer." This meant he was the official brewer for the King! In Parliament, William always voted to support the government's plans. He kept his seat as MP for Wallingford in several more elections, including in 1722, 1727, and 1734.

Later Life and Important Contributions

William Hucks stayed involved in his local area of St Giles. He was a "vestryman" there from 1709 to 1731, which meant he helped manage the local church and community affairs.

He was also responsible for putting up a statue of King George I. This statue was placed on top of the steeple of St George's, Bloomsbury church.

William also bought more land around Wallingford. Around 1727, he got a lease for Wallingford Castle, which included the area of Ewelme.

William Hucks passed away on November 28, 1740. He had two sons and one daughter with his wife. His son, Robert, took over from him.

Images for kids

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  Statue of King George I on St George's, Bloomsbury