William Aislabie (1700–1781)

William Aislabie (1700 – 17 May 1781) of Studley Royal, North Yorkshire was an English landowner and Tory politician who sat in the House of Commons for over 60 years from 1721 to 1781.

[3] He served continuously as the MP for Ripon until his death in 1781, a period of 60 years 47 days, reaching the position of Father of the House of Commons in 1768.

His last recorded speech in the House, on the Duke of Bridgewater's Canals Bill, was made in 1770, he last voted in 1773, and in 1779, The Public Ledger journal commented: "His age and infirmities do not allow him to attend."

[5] Aislabie then spent large amounts of time and energy developing one of England's finest water gardens on the estate.

In 1781, the year of his death, he undertook the restoration of the Ripon Obelisk which had been built by his father to a design by Nicholas Hawksmoor.