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Sir William Ray (7 February 1876 – 30 September 1937) was a school teacher and politician.

Born in Lancaster, he moved to London to receive teacher training at St John's College, Battersea. He worked as a teacher for 14 years.

He entered local government as an alderman on Hackney Borough Council. In 1913 he was elected to the London County Council as a Municipal Reform Party councillor representing Hackney Central.

During the First World War he served as a sergeant in the Army Remount Service.

He continued to hold his county council seat until 1934, and became leader of the governing Municipal Reform Party on the council in 1925. He was knighted in 1929,[1] and made an honorary freeman of the Borough of Hackney in 1931.[2]

As a member of the Conservative Party he attempted to win a parliamentary seat at Finsbury at the 1929 general election, but failed to be elected. He did enter parliament in April 1932 as MP for Richmond in an uncontested by-election.

In October 1933 he became executive chairman of the British Electrical Development Association (BEDA), working to promote the progress of electrification in the UK.

By 1936 his health was poor, and he resigned from his post with the BEDA in February of that year and from parliament in January 1937. He died at his home in Hendon in September 1937 aged 61.

Wikipedia page [1] refers.

References[]

  • "Obituary: Sir William Ray. Electrical Service and Municipal Work". The Times: p. 18. 1 October 1937. 
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