William Huskisson (1770-1830), Statesman

Sitter in 6 portraits
A loyal follower of George Canning, Huskisson held a series of minor political offices before being appointed President of the Board of Trade (1823-27). On Canning's death he became leader of the 'Canningite' Tories. A political advocate of free trade, modernity and progress, Huskisson was a great supporter of the engineer George Stephenson. Ironically, he was run over and killed at the opening ceremony of Stephenson's Manchester and Liverpool Railway (1830).