William Lowther, 1st Earl of Lonsdale

The Earl of Lonsdale.

William Lowther, 1st Earl of Lonsdale KG (29 December 1757 – 19 March 1844) was a British Tory politician and nobleman.

Background and education

Lowther was the son of Sir William Lowther, 1st Baronet, of Little Preston and Swillington, and his wife Anne Zouch. He was educated at Westminster and Trinity College, Cambridge.

Political career

Lowther was briefly Member of Parliament for Appleby in 1780, for Carlisle from 1780 to 1784 and for Cumberland from 1784 to 1790. In 1796, he was returned as Member of Parliament for Rutland, holding the seat until 1802. In that year, he inherited by special remainder the titles of Viscount Lowther and Baron Lowther from his third cousin once removed, the Earl of Lonsdale of the first creation, as well as his immense estates. He was also appointed to the northern Lord Lieutenancies of Cumberland and Westmorland. In 1807, Lowther was himself created Earl of Lonsdale and appointed a Knight of the Garter.

A coal magnate, he spent £200,000 on the Lowther estate and built a new Lowther Castle. A Tory in politics, he seems to have been tolerant and well-liked, disdaining sabbatarianism and serving as patron for a number of painters and authors, including William Wordsworth. Lonsdale died at York House, Twickenham in 1844. Lowther also enjoyed fox hunting, serving as Master of the Cottesmore Hunt from 1788 to 1802 and 1806 to 1842.

Family

Lord Lonsdale married Lady Augusta Fane (d. 1838), daughter of John Fane, 9th Earl of Westmorland, on 12 July 1781. They had six children:

• William Lowther, 2nd Earl of Lonsdale (1787–1872)
• Henry Cecil Lowther (1790–1867)
• Lady Elizabeth Lowther (d. 12 February 1869), unmarried
• Lady Mary Lowther (d. 21 October 1863), married on 16 September 1820 Maj. Gen. Lord Frederick Cavendish-Bentinck (d. 1828), son of the 3rd Duke of Portland
• Lady Anne Lowther (d. 8 November 1863, married on 20 January 1817 Sir John Beckett, 2nd Baronet
• Lady Grace Caroline Lowther (d. 1 November 1883), married on 3 July 1815 William Vane, 3rd Duke of Cleveland

References

• Leigh Rayment's Peerage Pages
• Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by the Earl of Lonsdale
• Portraits of William Lowther, 1st Earl of Lonsdale at the National Portrait Gallery, London

Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by Philip Honywood George Johnstone	Member of Parliament for Appleby with Philip Honywood 1780–1781	Succeeded by Philip Honywood William Pitt
Preceded by Anthony Morris Storer Walter Spencer Stanhope	Member of Parliament for Carlisle with Earl of Surrey 1780–1784	Succeeded by Earl of Surrey Edward Norton
Preceded by Sir Henry Fletcher, Bt Sir James Lowther, Bt	Member of Parliament for Cumberland with Sir Henry Fletcher, Bt 1784–1790	Succeeded by Sir Henry Fletcher, Bt Humphrey Senhouse
Preceded by Gerard Noel Edwards Lord Sherard	Member of Parliament for Rutland with Gerard Noel Edwards 1796–1801	Succeeded by (Union of Great Britain and Ireland)
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by (Union of Great Britain and Ireland)	Member of Parliament for Rutland with Gerard Noel Edwards 1801–1802	Succeeded by Gerard Noel Edwards The Lord Carbery
Honorary titles
Preceded by The Earl of Lonsdale	Lord Lieutenant of Cumberland and Westmorland 1802–1844	Succeeded by The Earl of Lonsdale
Vacant Title last held by The Earl of Lonsdale	Vice-Admiral of Cumberland 1809–1844	Vacant
Titles of nobility
New title	Earl of Lonsdale 1807–1844	Succeeded by William Lowther
Preceded by James Lowther	Viscount Lowther 1802–1844
	Baron Lowther (descended by acceleration) 1802–1841
Preceded by William Lowther	Baronet (of Little Preston) 1788–1844