William Charles Heaton-Armstrong was a British Liberal Party politician, merchant and banker.
Background
He was born in Gmunden, Austria. He was a son of John Heaton-Armstrong. He succeeded on the death of his father to the senior representation of the families of Heaton-Armstrong, Armstrong of Mangerton, Mount Heaton and Farney Castle, Macdonnell of New Hall, and Heaton of Yorkshire.
Education
He was educated partly in Austria and partly in Ireland.
Career
In his youth he joined the British Merchant Navy. In 1876 he joined the Turkish Navy to fight in the Russo-Turkish War. In the 1880s he got involved in the Chilean-Peruvian War assisting Chile.
He visited nearly all the Colonies, and travelled very extensively.
His first involvement in politics came when he stood as a Conservative candidate contesting Mid-Tipperary at the General Election in 1892 against the separation of Ireland from England. He stood as a Loyalist in favour of granting local self-government to the greatest possible extent to Ireland.
Thereafter he switched his allegiance to the Liberal Party. He was Liberal Member of Parliament for the Sudbury Division of Suffolk from 1906-1910.
He gained Sudbury from the Liberal Unionists at the 1906 General Election.
He served just one parliamentary term. He then went into banking, financing railways in Jersey and British Columbia. Supposedly Armstrong Station, Ontario was named after him.
He was a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, Royal Zoological Society, Royal Botanic Society, Royal Statistical Society, and other learned Societies.
He had published the "Calculation of the Sun’s Meridian Altitude". He was Lord of the Manor of Roscrea.
Views
He did not defend his seat at the January 1910 General Election and retired from politics.
Membership
28th United Kingdom Parliament.