Unveiled 4 November 2009 at Putney School of Art, Oxford Road, SW15
1841 - 1929
Philanthropist
Lancaster was not born a rich man. His wealth, much of which he devoted to the public good, was gained as a result of his ability and capacity for the Victorian virtue of hard work. He was born in Norfolk to a poor grocer?s family and King Lynn?s Grammar school.
Joining the Prudential Assurance Company at the age of seventeen as a junior clerk, he was rapidly promoted and became Deputy Chairman and retired in 1920.
In 1868 he married Sarah Harriot who died in 1889 leaving 7 children.
Lancaster was elected to the new Wandsworth borough council in 1900 and missed becoming the first mayor of Wandsworth by just a few votes. He was elected as the second Mayor 1901 - 2 serving during the year of the Coronation of King Edward. It was at the Coronation that Lancaster began his philanthropy contributing 100 guineas to the celebrations and mementoes to the head boys and girls of every school in the borough. Other gifts included a mace for the borough. This is known as the Putney mace because the shaft is made from one of the piers of old Putney Bridge dismantled in 1886. Lancaster also donated the land for Tooting library which opened in 1902 and land for other public enjoyment in the borough as well as a ward in Putney Hospital. His generosity in providing a new Grammar School for King?s Lynn in 1906 earned him his knighthood.
In 1883 he joined with Baron Pollock and Sir Arthur Jeff to form a committee with the purpose of founding an art school. The beginnings of the school were in temporary rooms over the parish offices in Putney High Street lent by the Vestry of Putney. The LCC refused to recognise the school until larger premises could be found so in 1885 Sir William bought the freehold site and erected the art school at his own expense which opened in 1895.
Sir William was for thirty years churchwarden of Putney 1878 - 1908. He endowed the Church Hall in Putney Bridge road in memory of his wife Sarah. In 1931 the inner oak doors of south west entrance to St Mary?s were donated by the Lancaster family and erected to his memory and the doors to the west porch were also erected to his memory by public subscription.
Lancaster lived at South Lynn, a large mansion on Putney Hill, now occupied by a block of flats called „West Point?. He died there 28 February 1929. He was described by his grandson Sir Osbert Lancaster as: “a kind authoritative, philanthropic, good-humoured and exemplary grandparent”.