Sir James Duke, 1st Baronet

Who was Sir James Duke, 1st Baronet?

Sir James Duke, 1st Baronet was a British Liberal Party politician. He was Lord Mayor of London in 1848–49, and sat in the House of Commons from 1837 to 1865.

He was elected at the 1837 general election as a Member of Parliament for the borough of Boston in Lincolnshire, and was re-elected at the 1841 and 1847 general elections.

He was elected as Sheriff of the City of London in 1837 and Lord Mayor of London in 1847. In June that year a vacancy arose in the City of London constituency when the Liberal MP James Pattison died age 62. A group of leading Liberals from the City met on 16 July and resolved to nominate Duke for the vacancy if he would consent, agreeing that:

"impressed with the opinion that the personal character and commercial experience of the Rt. Hon. Sir James Duke, combined with his business habits, and his long acquaintance with public affairs as a member of the House of Commons, eminently qualify him for the representation of the various interests of this city in Parliament"

A deputation was sent to the Mansion House, where Duke was asked to stand, which he immediately agreed to do.