John Lowther, 1st Viscount Lonsdale
John Lowther, 1st Viscount Lonsdale, PC, FRS (25 April 1655 – 10 July 1700[1]), known as Sir John Lowther, 2nd Baronet, from 1675 to 1696, was an English politician.
He was born at Hackthorpe Hall, Lowther, Westmorland, the son of Colonel John Lowther of Lowther and his wife, Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Henry Bellingham, Bart, of Hilsington, Westmoreland. He was educated at Kendal Grammar School and Sedbergh School before admission to Queen's College, Oxford (matriculated 1670). He was admitted to the Inner Temple in 1671 and called to the Bar in 1677.[2]
On 3 December 1674, he married Lady Katherine Thynne (d. bef. 1713), daughter of Sir Henry Frederick Thynne, 1st Baronet. They had children:
- Richard Lowther, 2nd Viscount Lonsdale (d. 1713)
- Henry Lowther, 3rd Viscount Lonsdale (d. 1751)
- Hon. Mary Lowther (c.1676 – 16 April 1706), married in February 1692 Sir John Wentworth, 1st Bt., of North Elmsall.
- Hon. Elizabeth Lowther, married on 6 August 1695 Sir William Ramsden, 2nd Baronet
- Hon. Margaret Lowther (d. 15 September 1728), married on 20 April 1706 Sir Joseph Pennington, 2nd Baronet
- Hon. Barbara Lowther (d. 1716), married c.1703 Thomas Howard of Corby (d. 1740)
- Hon. Anthony Lowther (d. 1741)
- Hon. Jane Lowther (d. 1752), unmarried
Prior to his creation as a viscount in 1696 John had succeeded his grandfather, another Sir John Lowther (1605–1675), as a baronet, and was twice member of parliament for Westmorland between 1677 and 1696. In 1688 he was serviceable in securing Cumberland and Westmorland for King William III, and was appointed to the Privy Council in 1689. In 1690 he was first lord of the treasury, and he was Lord Privy Seal from March 1699 until his death. He was badly injured in a duel in 1691.
On 20 December 1699, he was admitted a Fellow of the Royal Society.His candidacy citation noted that he was "A Gentleman who is well acquainted with many of the works of Nature and Art, & who hath lately obliged the Society with Some Curious Experiments relating to the damps of Coal Mines",[3]
He died at Lowther in 1700 and was buried in Lowther churchyard.
Lonsdale wrote Memoirs of the Reign of James II, which were printed in 1808 and again in 1857. His family became extinct when his son Henry, the 3rd viscount (1694–1751), died unmarried in March 1751.
Notes
- ↑ "J. V. Beckett, ‘Lowther, John, first Viscount Lonsdale (1655–1700)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004". Retrieved 2008-07-23.
- ↑ http://www2.royalsociety.org/DServe/dserve.exe?dsqIni=Dserve.ini&dsqApp=Archive&dsqCmd=Show.tcl&dsqDb=Persons&dsqSearch=%28Surname=%27lowther%27%29&dsqPos=2
- ↑ "Lists of Royal Society Fellows". Retrieved 2006-12-21.
References
| Parliament of England | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Sir Philip Musgrave Sir Thomas Strickland |
Member of Parliament for Westmorland 1677–1679 With: Sir Philip Musgrave 1677–1678 Alan Bellingham 1678–1679 |
Succeeded by Alan Bellingham Christopher Philipson |
| Preceded by Alan Bellingham Christopher Philipson |
Member of Parliament for Westmorland 1681–1696 With: Alan Bellingham 1681–1689 Henry Wharton 1689 Goodwin Wharton 1689–1690 Sir Christopher Musgrave 1690–1695 Sir Richard Sandford 1695–1696 |
Succeeded by Sir Richard Sandford William Fleming |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by James Porter |
Vice-Chamberlain of the Household 1689–1694 |
Succeeded by Peregrine Bertie |
| Preceded by The Earl of Monmouth |
First Lord of the Treasury 1690 |
Succeeded by The Lord Godolphin |
| Preceded by The Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery |
Lord Privy Seal 1699–1700 |
Succeeded by The Earl of Tankerville |
| Honorary titles | ||
| Preceded by Sir Philip Musgrave, Bt |
Custos Rotulorum of Westmorland 1678–1700 |
Succeeded by The Lord Wharton |
| Preceded by The Earl of Carlisle |
Vice-Admiral of Cumberland and Westmorland 1686–1700 |
Vacant Title next held by Sir Richard Musgrave, Bt |
| Preceded by The Viscount Preston |
Lord Lieutenant of Cumberland and Westmorland 1689–1694 |
Succeeded by The Earl of Carlisle |
| Preceded by The Earl of Thanet |
Custos Rotulorum of Cumberland 1689–1700 | |
| Peerage of England | ||
| New creation | Viscount Lonsdale 1696–1700 |
Succeeded by Richard Lowther |
| Baronetage of Nova Scotia | ||
| Preceded by John Lowther |
Baronet (of Lowther) 1675–1700 |
Succeeded by Richard Lowther |
|