William Houldsworth, the son of Henry Houldsworth and Helen Hamilton, was born in 1834. He established the Reddish Mills in Stockport. Chairman of the Fine Cotton Spinners' Association, Houldsworth was elected as Conservative MP for North West Manchester in 1883.

Houldsworth, who was Britain's delegate at the European Monetary Conference in Brussels in 1892, retired from the House of Commons at the 1906 General Election.

William Houldsworth died on 18th April 1917.