William Philip Price was born in Gloucester in 1817. A timber merchant he joined the Liberal Party and was a magistrate and became High Sheriff of Gloucestershire in 1848.

Price was elected to the House of Commons in July 1852. He held the seat until being displaced by petition in August 1859. Price was re-elected in the 1865 General Election but left parliament in May 1873 to become Railway Commissioner.

William Philip Price died on 31st March 1891.