Edward William Brydges Willyams was a Liberal Member of Parliament, successively for three Cornish constituencies.
Background
He was born 6 November 1834, the son of Humphry Willyams (1792–1822), a banker, land-owner and Liberal elector of Truro and Ellen Frances Brydges Neynoe, his wife. She was the daughter of Colonel William Brydges Neynoe of Castle Neynoe, County Sligo. His aunt by marriage Sarah Mendez da Costa, was an heiress, who married his father"s elder brother James (1772–1820) and had no children.
Education
He was educated at, Oxford.
Career
In 1892, he was appointed High Sheriff of Cornwall. Member of Parliament for Truro from 1857 to 1859. Member of Parliament for East Cornwall, 1868–1874.
Member of Parliament for Truro, 1880–1885.
He stood for election at Street Austell in 1887, as a Liberal Unionist but was defeated by the Gladstonian candidate, and at the Truro by-election in 1878 he lost to the Conservative candidate Arthur Tremayne. on 26 June 1856 and then on 5 June 1882 to Emily, a daughter of Sir Joseph Moses Levy, the proprietor of the Daily Telegraph, which then supported the Liberal Party. He was a keen supporter of the old Cornish sport of hurling.
Racing reports in The Times from 1884 to 1910 show his ownership of several race-horses, during this period. He was the co-respondent in a divorce in 1871/72, having carried on an affair with Lady Jolliffe, the wife of Captain Jolliffe, Member of Parliament for Wells.
He did not stand at the General Election in 1874.
Olive Willyams, the wife of his heir, Arthur Hugh Vivien Willyams, tried to obtain £4,000 from him, using promissory notes that he claimed were forged by her. She was committed to prison for three years and "was afterwards declared to have become insane. He died on Tuesday, 10 October 1916, at his seat, Carnanton, Street Columb Major.
Membership
17th United Kingdom Parliament. 20th United Kingdom Parliament. 22nd United Kingdom Parliament.