Sir William Palliser CB MP (18 June 1830 – 4 February 1882) was an Irish-born politician and inventor, Member of Parliament for Taunton from 1880 until his death.
[1] Born in Dublin on 18 June 1830, Palliser was the fourth of the eight sons of Lieutenant Colonel Wray Bury Palliser (1788–1862), of Derryluskan, County Tipperary, by his marriage to Anne Gledstanes, a daughter of John Gledstanes of Annesgift, County Tipperary.
[2] He was transferred with the rank of Lieutenant to the 18th Light Dragoons in 1858,[7] promoted captain in 1859 and major in 1864, before retiring from the regular British Army in 1871, after seven years on half-pay.
[3] In 1870, he was one of two directors of The Land and Sea Telegraph Construction Company Ltd. as it applied to be wound up, the other being Augustus Anson VC MP.
[3][9] He developed land in North End, Fulham in London, part of which was sold after his death and became the Queen's Club in West Kensington.