James Saunderson, 1st Earl Castleton facts for kids

James Saunderson, 1st Earl Castleton (born around 1667 in Sandbeck, Yorkshire – died May 23, 1723) was an important English landowner and politician. He was a member of the Whig party. He served in the English and British Parliament from 1698 to 1710.

Early Life and Education

James Saunderson was the eighth son of George Saunderson, 5th Viscount Castleton. He was the only one of his brothers to live to adulthood. He grew up in a well-known family.

He went to school in Laughton. At age 14, he started studying at Magdalene College, Cambridge in 1681. Later, in 1686, he also studied law at Gray's Inn.

In 1689, James got a job in a government office. This was likely a reward for his father's support of King William during the Glorious revolution. When his older brother Nicholas passed away in 1693, James took over managing the Kirton estate.

Between 1695 and 1698, James traveled a lot. He visited countries like Germany, Austria, Italy, and France. He even attended Padua University in Italy in 1696.

Political Career

James Saunderson became a Member of Parliament (MP) for Newark in 1698. An MP is a person elected to represent a group of people in the country's parliament. He was part of the Whig party, which was one of the main political groups at the time.

He was seen as a supporter of the King's government. In 1699, he voted against a bill to reduce the size of the army. He lost his seat in the first election of 1701 but won it back later that year. He won again in 1702 and was re-elected without anyone running against him in 1705.

From 1705, he held the important role of Vice-Admiral of Lincolnshire. This meant he was in charge of naval matters in that area. In 1708, he also became the manager of the Tickhill estate. He kept both these jobs for the rest of his life.

In the 1708 election, he was again re-elected without opposition. In 1710, he voted to remove Dr. Sacheverell from his position, which was a big political event. After this, he lost his seat in the 1710 election. He did not run for Parliament again in 1713. In 1711, he was involved with the South Sea Company, a large trading company.

Noble Titles

In 1714, James Saunderson inherited the title of 6th Viscount Castleton from his father. This was an Irish noble title.

Later that same year, he was given another title, Baron Saunderson of Saxby, Lincolnshire. In 1716, he became Viscount Castleton again, but this time it was an English noble title. Finally, in 1720, he received his highest title: Earl Castleton of Sandbeck. An Earl is a very high rank in the British nobility.

Later Life and Legacy

James Saunderson passed away on May 23, 1723, in Richmond. He had been ill for a long time. He never married, so he did not have any children.

Because he had no children, all his noble titles ended when he died. His lands and properties went to his cousin, Thomas Lumley. Thomas then added Saunderson to his own last name, as allowed by a special law.