William Lowther (1639–1705) facts for kids

Sir William Lowther (born August 18, 1639 – died December 7, 1705) was an important English landowner and a member of Parliament (an MP). He lived a long time ago, during a period of English history when many important changes were happening.

Who Was Sir William Lowther?

Sir William Lowther was a significant figure in his community. He owned a lot of land, which was a sign of wealth and power back then. He also served as a Member of Parliament, meaning he helped make laws for the country.

Early Life and Education

William was the oldest son of another important person, also named Sir William Lowther, who lived in a place called Swillington, near Leeds. He went to school at Gray's Inn, which was a place where people learned to be lawyers. He also studied at Balliol College, Oxford, which is a famous university. When his father passed away in 1688, William took over the family's lands and was given the title of "Sir" (knighted) in the same year.

Public Service and Career

Sir William Lowther held several important jobs during his life. In 1681, he was chosen to be the High Sheriff of Yorkshire. A High Sheriff was like a chief law enforcement officer for a county, making sure laws were followed and order was kept.

Later, in 1699, he became a commissioner for the Aire and Calder Navigation. This project was about improving rivers and canals to make it easier for boats to travel and transport goods. This was very important for trade and business at the time.

In 1695, he was elected as a Member of Parliament for a town called Pontefract. He served in Parliament until 1698, helping to represent the people of Pontefract and make decisions for the country.

Family Life

Sir William Lowther passed away in 1705 at his home, Little Preston Hall, near Leeds. He was buried in a place called Kippax. He was married to Catherine, who was the daughter of Thomas Harrison. Together, they had ten children.

His Children

Sir William and Catherine's children included:

• Sir William Lowther, 1st Baronet (1663–1729)
• Another son who first learned to be a merchant (someone who buys and sells goods) and then joined the Army.
• A third son who also started as a merchant and then joined the Army.
• A fourth son who joined the Army.
• Richard Lowther, who was a merchant. He married the daughters of two important people, Sir Christopher Wandesford and Sir John Fenwick.
• Christopher Lowther (died 1718), who was also a merchant and lived at Little Preston. He married Elizabeth Maude and they had children.
• Gerard Lowther, who was a lawyer but sadly passed away at the young age of 23.
• Catherine Lowther, who married Henry Slingsby.
• Mary Lowther, who married John Stanhope.

A Family Disagreement

Sir William had a disagreement with his oldest son, William. This was about William's marriage to the daughter of Lord Maynard. The issue was about how much land or money would be set aside for her in case Sir William passed away (this was called a jointure). Because of this disagreement, Sir William decided to leave most of his property and wealth to his younger son, Christopher, instead of his eldest son.