Sir William Lowther, 1st Baronet, of Swillington facts for kids
Sir William Lowther, 1st Baronet (born June 8, 1663 – died March 6, 1729), was an important English landowner from a place called Swillington in West Yorkshire. He was also given the special title of a baronet, which is a bit like a hereditary knight, in the Baronetage of Great Britain. He was the oldest son of Sir William Lowther and his wife, Catherine Harrison.
Early Life and Education
William Lowther grew up in Yorkshire. He went to school at Barwick-in-Elmet School. After that, he went to Christ's College, Cambridge, a famous university, on May 17, 1681. About a year and a half later, on December 14, 1682, he joined Gray's Inn. This was one of the special groups for people who wanted to become lawyers in England.
Family Life
In 1691, Sir William Lowther married a woman named Amabella Maynard. She was the daughter of Banastre Maynard, 3rd Baron Maynard. Sir William and Lady Amabella had five children together:
- Sir William Lowther, 2nd Baronet (born around 1694 – died 1763), who later became the 2nd Baronet.
- Henry Lowther, who became a doctor in Newcastle.
- John Lowther, who was a governor in a place called Surat. He did not have any children.
- Two daughters named Amabella and Jane. Both of them never married. Lady Amabella Lowther passed away on August 8, 1734.
Public Service and Political Career
Sir William Lowther was an active member of his community and government. He served as the High Sheriff of Yorkshire from 1697 to 1698. The High Sheriff was a very important official who helped keep law and order in the county.
He was also chosen to be a member of the Parliament of England and later the Parliament of Great Britain. He represented the area of Pontefract. He served in Parliament for many years, from 1701 to 1710, and then again from 1716 until he died. On January 6, 1715, he was officially given the title of a baronet.
Coat of Arms
A coat of arms is a special design that represents a family or a person. Sir William Lowther's coat of arms was:
- The background was gold (called Or in heraldry).
- It had six black rings (called annulets).
- These rings were arranged in a pattern: three at the top, then two, and then one at the bottom.
