James Lindsay, 24th Earl of Crawford and 7th Earl of Balcarres (24 April 1783 – 15 December 1869) was an Earl in the Scottish peerage.
James Lindsay was born on 24 April 1783 at Balcarres, Fife to Alexander Lindsay, 23rd Earl of Crawford and inherited the title of 7th Earl of Balcarres on his father's death in 1825. In 1826 he was created Baron of Wigan in the peerage of Great Britain. In 1843 he claimed the abeyant title of Earl of Crawford and in 1848 the House of Lords allowed the claim and conferred on him the title of 24th Earl of Crawford, and by extension, the title of 23rd Earl of Crawford on his dead father.
He married at Muncaster, Cumbria on 21 November 1811 the Hon. Maria Margaret Frances Pennington, daughter of John Pennington, 1st Baron Muncaster. They had four sons.
He entered the army and attained the rank of major in the 20th Light Dragoons until he left in 1804. He was returned as Tory MP for Wigan from 1820 to 1825.
He designed Haigh Hall in Haigh, Greater Manchester to replace the existing hall which dated back to Norman times and lived in a cottage in the grounds whilst it was constructed between 1830-1849. The family owned Haigh Colliery, cannel and coal mines, and formed the Wigan Coal and Iron Company in 1865.
After his death on 23 December, 1869 he was buried at All Saints' Church, Wigan, Lancashire and succeeded by his eldest son, Alexander Lindsay, 25th Earl of Crawford.
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Sir Robert Leigh Johm Hodson |
Member of Parliament for Wigan 1820–1825 With: James Alexander Hodson |
Succeeded by James Lindsay (1791-1855) |
| Peerage of Scotland | ||
| Preceded by Alexander Lindsay |
Earl of Balcarres 1825– 1869 |
Succeeded by Alexander Lindsay |
| Preceded by Alexander Lindsay |
Earl of Crawford 1848 – 1869 |
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