William Soulsby

Who was William Soulsby?

Sir William Jameson Soulsby KCVO CB CIE was an English barrister who served as Private Secretary to the Lord Mayor of London for 55 years. The Times referred to him as "in a sense, the permanent Lord Mayor."

Soulsby was the son of Matthew Soulsby, who worked at The Times. He was educated at the City of London School and gained his degree through evening classes at King's College, London. He was called to the bar by the Middle Temple in 1874. He became a law reporter with The Times, but in 1875 was appointed Private Secretary to the Lord Mayor in succession to Sir Somers Vine. He continued to practise as a barrister and to write for The Times. He unwillingly retired from Mansion House in 1931.

Soulsby was appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1896 and knighted in 1902. He was appointed Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in the 1920 New Year Honours and Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in the 1923 New Year Honours.

As part of his job he was also secretary of the Indian famine relief funds in 1877, 1897 and 1900, for which he was appointed Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire in the 1901 New Year Honours.