18 Facts About William McKeag

William McKeag MSM was a British politician, soldier and solicitor.

William McKeag was born in County Durham, the son of William McKeag Sr.

William McKeag was 17 years old at the outbreak of the Great War.

William McKeag joined the army and served six years in France, Italy, Turkey and Russia.

William McKeag fought with the White Russian commanders Anton Ivanovich Denikin and Pyotr Nikolayevich Wrangel and during his time in Russia, he became the youngest First-Class Warrant Officer in the British Army.

At the 1924 general election, William McKeag, who had reputation for being a witty and able debater was the Liberal Party candidate for Durham but lost to the Labour Party candidate Joshua Ritson who had held the seat since 1922.

William McKeag fought Durham again in 1929 but was again defeated by Ritson.

The crisis in the economy over the summer of 1931 which brought about the National Government of prime minister Ramsay MacDonald meant that William McKeag fought the general election in October as a Liberal in support of the National Government, enabling him to take advantage of the public support for the coalition and win the seat by the narrow majority of 270 votes.

William McKeag then associated himself with the Liberal National group in Parliament led by Sir John Simon at least to allow him to be the nominated National candidate at the 1935 general election, which he fought under the description Liberal National in a straight fight with the former Labour MP Joshua Ritson.

William McKeag resumed political activity at a local level after losing his Parliamentary seat.

William McKeag resumed his status as a Liberal without prefix or suffix and was elected to Newcastle City Council in 1936.

William McKeag still retained ambitions to return to Parliament as a Liberal but during the Second World War there was a truce between the main political parties which ensured that they did not oppose each other when by-elections occurred.

William McKeag held a long list of public offices as a result of his professional and political associations with Newcastle, County Durham and the North East of England.

William McKeag supported many local associations and charities in the North East.

William McKeag held the position of Consul for the Republic of Iceland and was a Commander of the Order of the Falcon an Icelandic award for Icelanders and foreigners for achievements in Iceland or internationally.

William McKeag was a Director of Newcastle United FC for 28 years, and was for a time, its chairman.

William McKeag's son Gordon McKeag was a Chairman of the club from 1988 to 1990.

William McKeag died aged 75 years on 4 October 1972 at Whitley Bay.