William Fitzsimmons (Northern Ireland politician)

William Kennedy Fitzsimmons (31 January 1909 – 21 February 1992) was a Unionist politician in Northern Ireland.

William Fitzsimmons
Member of Parliament for Belfast Duncairn
In office
1956–1973
Minister of Health and Social Services, Northern Ireland
In office
1969–1972
Minister of Development, Northern Ireland
In office
1966–1968
Minister of Education, Northern Ireland
In office
1965-1966
1968–1969
Unionist Assistant Whip
In office
1961–1963
Personal details
Born(1909-01-31)31 January 1909
Belfast, Ireland
Died21 February 1992(1992-02-21) (aged 83)
Political partyUlster Unionist
EducationBelfast Technical College

Biography

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Born in Belfast, Fitzsimmons studied at Skegoneill National School and Belfast Technical College. He became a domestic engineer, and in 1948 was appointed as a Belfast Water Commissioner, serving as chairman of the Commissioners from 1954 to 1955. In 1951, he became a justice of the peace.[1]

Fitzsimmons was also an active member of the Ulster Unionist Party and was the President of Duncairn Unionist Association. He was elected to the Parliament of Northern Ireland at a by-election in 1956, representing Belfast Duncairn. In 1961, he was made Assistant Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, an assistant whip position. He also became Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Commerce. He was then rotated through a series of Parliamentary Secretary positions, serving with the Ministry of Home Affairs from 1963 to 1964, the Ministry of Health and Local Government from 1964 to 1966 and also the Ministry of Development for a period in 1965.[1]

In April 1965, Fitzsimmons was finally appointed to a Cabinet position, becoming Minister of Education. He moved to become Minister of Development in 1966, back to Education in 1968 and finally served as Minister of Health and Social Services from 1969 until the Parliament was prorogued in 1972.[1]

In 1968, Fitzsimmons' daughter married a Roman Catholic. As a result, he resigned from the Orange Order.[2] At the 1969, former independent Unionist Member of Parliament Norman Porter stood against Fitzsimmons as a candidate whose opposition to Catholicism was in no doubt, but Fitzsimmons held his seat.[3]

At the Darlington Conference of 1973, Fitzsimmons served on the small Unionist team. Later in the year, he decided not to stand in the Northern Ireland Assembly election.[4]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Biographies of Members of the Northern Ireland House of Commons
  2. ^ William Brown, An Army with Banners
  3. ^ Northern Ireland Parliamentary Election Results: Boroughs: Belfast
  4. ^ Richard Deutsch and Vivien Magowan, Northern Ireland, 1968–73
Parliament of Northern Ireland
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Belfast Duncairn
1956–1973
Parliament abolished
Party political offices
Preceded by Unionist Assistant Whip
1961–1963
Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Assistant Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Finance
1961–1963
Succeeded by
Preceded by Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Health and Local Government
1964-1965
Vacant
Vacant Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Commerce and Production
1961–1965
Vacant
Vacant
Title last held by
Terence O'Neill
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Home Affairs
1963–1964
Vacant
Title next held by
Robert Porter
Preceded by Minister of Education
1965–1966
Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of Development
1966–1968
Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of Education
1968–1969
Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of Health and Social Services
1969–1972
Position abolished