James Lowther, 1st Earl of Lonsdale facts for kids

James Lowther, 1st Earl Lonsdale (painted by Thomas Hudson)

James Lowther, who became the 1st Earl of Lonsdale, was an important English landowner and politician. He was born on 5 August 1736 and passed away on 24 May 1802. For 27 years, from 1757 to 1784, he served in the House of Commons, which is like the main part of the British Parliament. After this, he was given the special title of Earl of Lonsdale.

Life of James Lowther

Early Life and Family

James Lowther was the son of Robert Lowther and Catherine Pennington. He went to Peterhouse, Cambridge for his education. In 1745, when he was young, he inherited his father's title and lands. Later, in 1751, he also inherited a large amount of property, including Lowther Hall, from his great-uncle. He also received more estates from other relatives in 1755 and 1756. This made him a very wealthy and powerful landowner.

Political Influence

James Lowther had a lot of power in politics. He controlled several areas called "rotten" or "pocket" boroughs. These were places where very few people could vote, so a powerful person like Lowther could easily choose who would become a Member of Parliament (MP).

For example, in 1761, he helped eight different people become MPs. These included two MPs for Cumberland, two for Westmorland, and two for Cockermouth. He also helped one MP for Appleby and one for Carlisle. Later, in 1781, he even helped William Pitt the Younger, who later became a famous Prime Minister, get elected as an MP for Appleby.

Titles and Marriage

On 24 May 1784, James Lowther was given the important title of Earl of Lonsdale. He also became Viscount Lowther on 26 October 1797. He married Mary Crichton-Stuart on 7 September 1761. She was the daughter of a powerful nobleman, the 3rd Earl of Bute.

A Man of Strong Character

Lowther Castle in the early 18th century

James Lowther was known for his strong personality. He even fought a duel in 1792 with a Captain Cuthbert in London. A duel was a formal fight, usually with pistols or swords, to settle an argument. In this duel, both men fired, but luckily, neither was hurt. They shook hands afterwards, and the matter was settled. He also fought another duel in 1798.

Because of his strong and sometimes difficult personality, he had several nicknames. People called him "Wicked Jimmy," the "Bad Earl," the "Gloomy Earl," and sometimes "Jimmy Grasp-all, Earl of Toadstool."

Death and Legacy

James Lowther passed away in 1802. He did not have any children with his wife. Because of this, his title of Earl of Lonsdale ended when he died. However, his title of Viscount Lowther was passed on to his cousin, William Lowther.

William Lowther later became the 2nd Viscount Lowther and was also given the title of Earl of Lonsdale in 1807. He inherited Lowther Castle and rebuilt it into the grand building you can see today, between 1806 and 1814.

The Earl and the Wordsworth Family

James Lowther had a lawyer named John Wordsworth. John Wordsworth was the father of the famous poet, William Wordsworth. Lowther owed John Wordsworth a lot of money for his legal work, about £4,000, from 1763 until Wordsworth's death in 1783. This debt was a big problem for the Wordsworth family for many years. After James Lowther died, his cousin and successor finally paid off this debt.

Images for kids

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  Lowther Castle in the early 18th century