William Biggs was a nineteenth-century British politician and hosier who played a prominent role in the civic and political life of Leicester. Born in Leicester in 1804, he was the younger brother of John Biggs, who also pursued a career as a politician and hosier. Biggs entered local politics in December 1835 when he was elected as a councillor for Leicester City Council, beginning a long period of public service in his home city.\n\nThroughout his career, Biggs achieved significant local and national political milestones. He served as the Mayor of Leicester on three separate occasions, holding the office in 1842, 1848, and 1859. Beyond his municipal duties, he was active in the intellectual community, serving as the President of the Leicester Literary and Philosophical Society in 1849.\n\nIn 1852, Biggs expanded his political reach to the national stage when he was elected to Parliament as the member for Newport. He served in this capacity until January 1857, when he resigned from Parliament by accepting the appointment of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds. Biggs spent his later years away from active office and died in Liverpool on October 3, 1881, at the age of 77.
