James Lindsay, 24th Earl of Crawford facts for kids
James Lindsay, 24th Earl of Crawford (born 1783 – died 1869) was an important Scottish nobleman. He was also a politician and a military officer.
Early Life and Titles
James Lindsay was born on April 24, 1783. His birthplace was Balcarres House in Fife, Scotland. His father was Alexander Lindsay, 6th Earl of Balcarres.
When his father passed away in 1825, James became the 7th Earl of Balcarres. A year later, in 1826, he was given another special title: Baron of Wigan.
Later, in 1843, he made a claim for an older family title. This was the title of Earl of Crawford. After some time, in 1848, the House of Lords agreed to his claim. This made him the 24th Earl of Crawford.
Career and Achievements
James Lindsay joined the British Army when he was younger. He became a major in the 20th Light Dragoons. He left the army in 1804.
He also worked as a politician. From 1820 to 1825, he was a Member of Parliament (MP) for Wigan. An MP is someone elected to represent people in the government.
James Lindsay was involved in building Haigh Hall in Haigh, Greater Manchester. This grand house was built to replace an older hall. He lived in a small cottage nearby while it was being built. Construction took place between 1830 and 1849.
His family owned important businesses. They had the Haigh Colliery, which included cannel and coal mines. In 1865, they started a large company called the Wigan Coal and Iron Company.
James Lindsay passed away on December 23, 1869. He was buried at All Saints' Church, Wigan. His oldest son, Alexander Lindsay, 25th Earl of Crawford, took over his titles.
Family Life
On November 21, 1811, James Lindsay married Maria Margaret Frances Pennington. They were married in Muncaster in Cumberland (now Cumbria). Maria was the daughter of John Pennington, 1st Baron Muncaster.
James and Maria had four sons:
- Alexander William Crawford Lindsay, 25th Earl of Crawford (born 1812 - died 1880)
- Lt Gen Hon Sir James Lindsay (born 1815 - died 1874)
- Colonel Hon Charles Hugh Lindsay (born 1816 - died 1889)
- Hon Colin Lindsay (born 1819 - died 1892)
It was his oldest son, Alexander, who did a lot of research into their family history. This research helped his father claim the old title of Earl of Crawford.
