William Thrift

William Thrift
37th Provost of Trinity College Dublin
In office 1 August 1937 – 31 July 1942
Preceded by	Edward Gwynn
Succeeded by	Ernest Alton
Teachta Dála
In office May 1921 – July 1937
Constituency	Dublin University
Personal details
Born	(1870-02-28)28 February 1870 Halifax, West Yorkshire, England
Died	23 April 1942(1942-04-23) (aged 72) Dublin, Ireland
Nationality	Irish
Political party	Independent
Spouse	Etta Thrift ​ (m. 1892)​
Children	6
Education	The High School, Dublin
Alma mater	Trinity College Dublin

William Edward Thrift (28 February 1870 – 23 April 1942) was an Irish academic and politician who served as the 37th Provost of Trinity College Dublin and a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin University constituency from 1921 to 1937.

Thrift was born in Halifax, West Yorkshire in 1870, but grew up in Carlow. He was educated at The High School, Dublin and at Trinity College Dublin (TCD) (BA 1893, MA 1896, Fellow 1896). He served as Erasmus Smith's Professor of Natural and Experimental Philosophy at Trinity College Dublin from 1901 to 1929. He was awarded DSc in 1936. He was appointed Provost of Trinity College Dublin in 1937, serving until his death in 1942.

He was also active in politics. He was elected to the House of Commons of Southern Ireland at the 1921 elections, representing the Dublin University constituency. As an independent Unionist, he did not participate in the Second Dáil. He was re-elected for the same constituency at the 1922 general election and became a member of the Third Dáil. He was re-elected at the next five general elections until 1937 when he retired from politics.

External links

• "Thrift, William Edward" . Thom's Irish Who's Who . Dublin: Alexander Thom and Son Ltd. 1923. p. 247  – via Wikisource.