William Wither Beach

William Wither Bramston Beach (25 December 1826 – 3 August 1901) was an English Conservative politician, who served in the House of Commons for 44 years between 1857 and 1901, becoming Father of the House of Commons in 1899. Birth and education Beach was the son of former MP for Malmesbury, William Beach (1783-1856) of Oakley Hall, Hampshire and his wife Jane Henrietta Browne (1804-1831), daughter of John Browne of Salperton Park, Gloucestershire. His paternal grandfather was Michael Hicks Beach, ancestor of the Hicks Beach baronets. His paternal cousin was Michael Hicks Beach, Chancellor of the Exchequer. Beach was educated at Eton and Christ Church, Oxford where he excelled as an athlete. He participated in steeple-chases, but was badly injured after falling from a horse in 1852. Political career Beach's political career began in January 1856, when at a meeting chaired in Basingstoke by William Lyde Wiggett Chute, it was decided that he was the desired candidate to stand in the 1857 general election, succeeding the retiring Charles Shaw-Lefevre. He was subsequently elected Member of Parliament for North Hampshire the following year, alongside George Sclater-Booth. Beach would be successfully re-elected five times for the constituency between 1859 & 1880, before the seat was re-organised under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885. He was consequently elected MP for Andover and held the seat until his death.