Sir William Long

Mayor of Bedford: 1803, 1813, 1822 and 1829

He was the owner of a brewery in St. Paul’s Square, which was passed to Jarvis, thence to Charles Wells. He lived at Kempston Bury, owned Bedford Lodge and was founder of a charity at Kempston. He received his knighthood in the birthday honours in 1814. He was Mayor when the Bedford election, the first contest for forty years, was fought in 1830. Lord John Russell lost the election, partly by offending the Methodists. He voted for himself, which was not a proper thing to do by the customs of the age. The result was a tie for second place, and Sir William, who had not given an original vote, decided the election by his casting vote as returning officer. Lord John did not visit the town for twenty-three years, and none of his family stood again, although they had commanded one of the seats for nearly fifty years.

Sir William lent money to the Improvement Commissioners to build BedfordBridge, but cancelled his bonds on condition that his carriage should pass free of toll, shortly after which tolls were done away with.

The portrait is by James Lonsdale, a pupil of Romney