Researching William Stanley

Stanley was a skilled architect who designed and founded the UK's first Trades school, Stanley Technical Trades School (now Harris Academy South Norwood), as well as designing the Stanley Halls in South Norwood. Stanley designed and built his two homes. He was a noted philanthropist, who gave over £80,000 to education projects during the last 15 years of his life. When he died, most of his estate, valued at £59,000, was bequeathed to trade schools and students in south London, and one of his homes was used as a children's home after his death, in accordance with his will.

Stanley was a member of several professional bodies and societies (including the Royal Society of Arts, the Royal Meteorological Society (elected 17 May 1876), the Royal Astronomical Society (elected 9 February 1894) and the British Astronomical Association (elected 31 October 1900)). Besides these activities, he was a painter, musician and photographer, as well as an author of a variety of publications, including plays, books for children, and political treatises.

Stanley was the son of Henry Stanley (died 1613), merchant of Chichester, Sussex and his wife Anne Madgweke, daughter of William Madgweke of Hampshire. He was apprenticed to a grocer in Southampton in 1623, and became a pawnbroker, a shipowner, and a merchant trading with Newfoundland. In 1630, he became a Freeman of Southampton. He was steward from 1641 to 1642, bailiff from 1643 to 1645 and mayor of Southampton from 1645 to 1646. In 1646 he became an alderman and from 1647 to 1650 was commissioner for assessment for Southampton. He was removed from office as alderman in 1655 for being disaffected to the regime, and was replaced by an alderman "of greater piety and integrity".

Stanley was commissioner for militia for Southampton in March 1660. In April 1660, he was elected Member of Parliament for Southampton in the Convention Parliament. He was commissioner for assessment for Hampshire from August 1660 to 1663 and was mayor of Southampton again from 1661 to 1662. He was commissioner for corporations for Hampshire from 1662 to 1663 and was restored to his position as alderman in 1662 by the commissioners. He supplied the dockyards with oil, balks and rosin. From 1663 he was commissioner for assessment for Southampton. He was sheriff of Southampton from 1669 to 1670, during which time the Duke of York James II of England stayed at his house during the royal visit to Southampton. He was commissioner for assessment for Hampshire from 1673 until his death. Stanley died at the age of about 68 and was buried at Holy Rood church on 7 August 1678.

Stanley married Averne Ticheon of Hursley, Hampshire on 8 October 1632. They had three sons and two daughters.