# William Rowley Elliston

William Rowley Elliston OBE, (1 February 1869 – 12 February 1954), was a British judge and Liberal Party politician.

## Background

Elliston was born in Manor House, Ipswich, the eldest son of W.A. Elliston. He was educated at Ipswich School and Christ's College, Cambridge. He was a Pemberton Scholar, at Ipswich School in 1885. He was elected simultaneously in 1887 to Open Classical Demyship at Magdalen College, Oxford and Open Classical Scholarship at Christ's College, Cambridge. In 1898 he married Ethel Mary Walton, niece of Sir Frederick Wilson. They had one son and two daughters. He was awarded the OBE in the 1951 Birthday Honours for public services in Suffolk.

## Political career

Elliston's first involvement in politics came in 1905 when he was elected to Ipswich Borough Council. He served on this body for the next 23 years. He was Liberal candidate for the Woodbridge division of Suffolk at the December 1910 General Election. The constituency was a Conservative marginal that the Liberals had last won in 1906. He was unable to re-gain the seat. He contested Woodbridge a further three times without success. In 1918, endorsement from the Coalition Government was given to his Unionist opponent, regardless he polled a credible 44.2%. Despite this good showing, he did not contest the 1920 Woodbridge by-election or the 1922 General Election. Following Liberal reunion, he contested the 1923 General Election. However, by now, the Labour Party were running candidates at Woodbridge. The Unionist was returned on a minority vote, while Elliston came second. At the 1924 General Election, he again came second. In 1927, he served as Mayor of Ipswich for a year. He was Liberal candidate for the Colchester division of Essex at the 1929 General Election. Colchester was a Unionist/Labour marginal seat offering little chance for a Liberal. He finished third. He did not stand for parliament again. In 1932, after a break from Ipswich Council, he was appointed as a Council Alderman, serving until 1938.

## Other Activities

Elliston was leader writer for the East Anglian Daily Times in 1900.

### Electoral record

General Election December 1910: Woodbridge :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Robert Francis Peel | 5,704 | 52.6 |
| | Liberal | William Rowley Elliston | 5,144 | 47.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | 5.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
General Election 1918: Woodbridge :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Unionist | Robert Francis Peel | 8,654 | 55.8 |
| | Liberal | William Rowley Elliston | 6,842 | 44.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,812 | 11.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 51.0 |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | |
General Election 1923: Woodbridge :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Sir Arthur Charles Churchman | 10,606 | 46.7 | −10.0 |
| | Liberal | William Rowley Elliston | 7,328 | 32.2 | n/a |
| | Labour | Edward John Cecil Neep | 4,810 | 21.1 | −22.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,278 | 14.5 | +1.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 70.9 | +1.8 |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | n/a | |
General Election 1924: Woodbridge :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Sir Arthur Charles Churchman | 13,419 | 54.9 | +8.2 |
| | Liberal | William Rowley Elliston | 7,008 | 28.7 | −3.5 |
| | Labour | Sylvain Mayer | 3,998 | 16.4 | −4.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,411 | 26.2 | +11.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 74.3 | +3.4 |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | +5.8 | |