Background
West J Crossley was born at Glenburn, near Lisburn, County Antrim.
Member of Parliament in the United Kingdom
West J Crossley was born at Glenburn, near Lisburn, County Antrim.
He was educated at the Royal School Dungannon and in Bonn.
His ancestors had come to Ireland from Lancashire at the time of the Williamite War. In 1876 the company began the production of gas engines, and the firm went on to be major employers. In 1903 he was given the freedom of the City of Manchester.
In 1906 he was asked to stand as Liberal candidate for the parliamentary constituency of Altrincham, and defeated the sitting Conservative Member of Parliament, Coningsby Disraeli.
He was created a baronet in 1909. He lost his parliamentary seat at the December 1910 election by 119 votes.
Crossley was involved in philanthropic works, and built a sanitorium at Delamere Forest for patients from Lancashire towns at his own expense. He was president of the Manchester Young Men"s Christian Association, and one of the original promoters of the Manchester Ship Canal.
He was a teetotaler and treasurer of the United Kingdom Alliance, a temperance organisation.
Sir William and Lady Mabel had five children, Kenneth (1877–1957), Eric (1878–1949), Brian (b 1886), Lettice (b 1879) and Cicely (b 1880). Both Lettice and Cicely died as infants. He died aged 67 in 1911, following complications from an operation.
28th United Kingdom Parliament.