Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Clay, William (1791-1869)

by Francis Watt

CLAY, Sir WILLIAM (1791–1869), politician, born in London in 1791, was the son of George Clay, an eminent merchant, into whose firm Clay was admitted at an early age. In 1832 he was elected M.P. in the liberal interest for the newly created Tower Hamlets constituency. He occupied the seat till 1857. He was appointed secretary to the board of control in 1839 under Lord Melbourne's ministry. This office he held till the retirement of his party in 1841, when he was created a baronet. Clay was a magistrate for Middlesex and Westminster, and was also chairman of the Grand Junction and Southwark and Vauxhall water companies. He died at Cadogan Place, Chelsea, London, on 13 March 1869. In 1822 Clay married Harriet, daughter of Thomas Dickason of Fulwell Lodge, Middlesex, and had issue three sons and six daughters.

Clay published the following pamphlets:

1. 'Speech at the Meeting of the Electors of the Tower Hamlete,' 1834.
2. 'Speech on Moving for a Committee to inquire into the Act permitting the Establishment of Joint-Stock Banks,' 2nd edit. 1837, replied to by 'Vindex,' 1836.
3. 'Remarks on the Expediency of restricting the Issue of Promissory Notes to a Single Issuing Body,' 1844.
4. 'Remarks on the Water Supplv of London,' 2nd edit. 1849, replied to by T. Coates, in 'Statement of the Plan of supplying London with Water, proposed in the "Metropolitan Waterworks Bill," ' &c. 1850.
5. 'Speech on moving the Second Heading of the Church Rate Abolition Bill,' 1856.

[Times, 17 March 1869, p. 12; Men of the Time, 1868, p. 183; Burke's Peerage and Baronetage for 1869, p. 232.]

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