William Morison (1781–1851) facts for kids

General Sir William Morison (1781 – 15 May 1851) was an important Scottish soldier and politician. He was a member of the Whig Party, which was a major political group in Britain at the time. He achieved a very high rank in the army and also served in the government.

Life Story

William Morison was born in central Scotland in 1781.

He joined the British Army and trained to become an officer. He rose through the ranks to become a General in the Madras Artillery. This was a special army unit based in India. In 1826, he was a Major working in Goa, a region in India.

Sir William also held important government jobs in India. He was the Chief Commissioner of Mysore. This meant he was in charge of governing the region of Mysore. He also served as a member of the Supreme Council of India. This was a very high-level group that helped govern all of British India. He left this important role in 1839.

After his military and government service in India, he became involved in politics back home. In February 1842, he was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP). An MP is someone who represents the people of an area in the British Parliament. He represented the areas of Clackmannanshire and Kinross-shire. He was re-elected without opposition in 1847.

In 1848, Queen Victoria gave him a special honor. He was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath. This is a very respected award given for great service.

Sir William was also recognized for his knowledge and achievements. In 1841, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. The next year, in 1842, he was also elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of London. These are very old and famous groups that recognize important people in science and learning.

He passed away on 15 May 1851, while still serving as an MP.

His Portrait

A painting of Sir William Morison can be seen at the National Army Museum.