William Ferrand (formerly Busfeild; 26 April 1809 – 31 March 1889), also known as William Busfeild Ferrand, was a British

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...

politician. He served as Member of Parliament for

Knaresborough Knaresborough ( ) is a market and spa town and civil parish on the River Nidd in North Yorkshire, England. It is east of Harrogate and was in the Borough of Harrogate until April 2023. History The Knaresborough Hoard, the largest hoard of ...

and for Devonport.

Early and personal life

Busfeild was born in

Bingley Bingley is a market town and civil parish in the metropolitan borough of the City of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. It is sited on the River Aire and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. The town had a population of 18,040 at the United Kingdom ...

in 1809 to Currer Fothergill Busfeild (1777–1832) and his wife, Sarah Ferrand. He attended

Bingley Grammar School Bingley Grammar School (BGS) is a coeducational comprehensive voluntary aided school for pupils from the ages of 11 to 18 and is located on the outskirts of Bingley, West Yorkshire, England. Bingley Grammar School was a specialist school for ...

and briefly

Giggleswick School Giggleswick School is a public school (English private boarding and day school) in Giggleswick, near Settle, North Yorkshire, England. Early school In 1499, Giggleswick School was founded on half an acre of land leased by the Prior and Co ...

. After Busfeild's mother inherited her brother's considerable property, in 1839 he took the additional surname of Ferrand by sign-manual in compliance with the requirements of his uncle's will. He dropped the name of Busfeild in 1854 after he succeeded to his mother's estate, which included Harden Grange and

Bingley St Ives Bingley St. Ives, or St. Ives Estate is a country park; and former estate between Bingley and Harden in West Yorkshire, England now owned by Bradford Council. The park has Grade II listing in the English Heritage National Register of Histor ...

. He married Sarah Priestley (died 1832) in 1831. They had a son, William before Sarah died giving birth to their daughter, Sarah Harriette.

Political career

Busfeild entered public life in 1833 and unsuccessfully stood as a candidate for

Bradford Bradford is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in West Yorkshire, England. It became a municipal borough in 1847, received a city charter in 1897 and, since the Local Government Act 1972, 1974 reform, the city status in the United Kingdo ...

in the 1837 general election. He remained active, opposing the Anti-Corn Law League, and was elected in

1841 Events January–March * January 20 – Charles Elliot of the United Kingdom and Qishan of the Qing dynasty agree to the Convention of Chuenpi. * January 26 – Britain occupies Hong Kong. Later in the year, the first census of the ...

to represent

. He attacked the league and poor-law administration in parliament, and became associated with the

Young England Young England was a Victorian era political group with a political message based on an idealised feudalism: an absolute monarch and a strong Established Church, with the philanthropy of '' noblesse oblige'' as the basis for its paternalistic ...

group. Lord Harewood withdrew his support for the 1847 election and he was unable to find another seat. His second marriage in 1847 lead to him resuming his political career in 1850, and he unsuccessfully contested the

Aylesbury Aylesbury ( ) is the county town of Buckinghamshire, England. It is home to the Roald Dahl Children's Gallery and the Aylesbury Waterside Theatre, Waterside Theatre. It is located in central Buckinghamshire, midway between High Wycombe and Milt ...

by-election in 1851. He then contested Devonport in the 1859 election and two further

by-election A by-election, also known as a special election in the United States and the Philippines, or a bypoll in India, is an election used to fill an office that has become vacant between general elections. A vacancy may arise as a result of an incumben ...

s that year, before succeeding in the 1863 by-election. During his second period in parliament, he played a part in forcing the resignation of Lord Westbury, the

Lord Chancellor The Lord Chancellor, formally titled Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, is a senior minister of the Crown within the Government of the United Kingdom. The lord chancellor is the minister of justice for England and Wales and the highest-ra ...

. He was re-elected for Devonport in

1865 Events January * January 4 – The New York Stock Exchange opens its first permanent headquarters at 10-12 Broad near Wall Street, in New York City. * January 13 – American Civil War: Second Battle of Fort Fisher – Unio ...

, but the election was later declared void after he was found guilty of bribery. He unsuccessfully stood in by-elections for

Coventry Coventry ( or rarely ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands county, in England, on the River Sherbourne. Coventry had been a large settlement for centurie ...

in 1867 and Devonport in 1868. Ferrand died in St. Ives in 1889.

Footnotes

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Ferrand, William 1809 births 1889 deaths People from Bingley People educated at Giggleswick School Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies UK MPs 1841–1847 UK MPs 1859–1865