John Lancaster

Who was John Lancaster?

John Lancaster was an English Liberal politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1868 to 1874.

Lancaster was the son of John Lancaster of Prestwich, Lancashire. He was engaged in the coal and iron trades and was chairman of the Lancashire Union Railway. He was a J.P. for Lancashire and a Fellow of the Geological Society.

In 1865 Lancaster stood unsuccessfully for parliament at Wigan. At the 1868 general election he was elected Member of Parliament for Wigan and held the seat until 1874.

Lancaster died at the age of 67. The Graphic of Saturday, April 26, 1884 recorded "Mr. John LANCASTER, formerly M.P., for Wigan, who rose from humble beginnings to the ownership of the great mines of Nantyglo Blaina, Monmouthshire. The captain and several of the crew of the 'Alabama', after its engagement with the 'Kearage', off Cherbourg, in 1864, were rescued by Mr. LANCASTER, who, to save them, exposed his yacht to the fire of the Federal war-steamer." This recalls the last great sea battle of the American Civil War between the confederate ship Alabama and the union ship Kearsarge.

Lancaster married Euphemia Gibson daughter of D. Gibson of Renfrewshire in 1841.