William Johnston

Who was William Johnston?

William Johnston was a nineteenth-century Irish politician and member of the Orange Order. He is noted for his opposition to the Party Emblems Act and Party Processions Act, which banned Orange marches .

Johnston was the eldest son of John Brett Johnston of Ballykilbeg, co. Down, and his wife Thomasina Anne Brunette Scott, daughter of Thomas Scott. He was educated at Trinity College, Dublin being awarded B.A. in 1852 and M.A. in 1856. He wrote ultra-Protestant Tracts and fiercely Unionist novels during the decade and published a newspaper called The Downshire Protestant from 1855 to 1862. In 1857 he stood unsuccessfully for parliament at Downpatrick.

In 1867, Johnston organised an Orange Order parade from Bangor to Newtownards in County Down despite the Party Procession Acts. The parade took part on 12 July 1867 and about 30,000 took part. Johnston was sentenced to a short term in prison the next year for his actions. He was also elected as Member of Parliament for Belfast in 1868 and held the seat until 1878. He was called to the Bar at King's Inns Dublin in 1872.

Johnston was Inspector of Fisheries in Ireland from 1878 to 1885. In 1885 he was elected an independent MP for Belfast South until his death.