William Lowther

Who was William Lowther?

Sir William Lowther was an English landowner and MP.

He was the eldest son of Sir William Lowther of Swillington, near Leeds and educated at Grays Inn and Balliol College, Oxford. He succeeded his father in 1688 and was knighted the same year.

He was appointed High Sheriff of Yorkshire for 1681. He was commissioner for the Aire and Calder Navigation in 1699 and elected Member of Parliament for Pontefract in 1695, sitting until 1698.

He died at Great Preston Hall near Leeds in 1705 and was buried at Kippax. He had married Catherine, the daughter of Thomas Harrison of Middlesex, and had ten children:

Sir William Lowther, 1st Baronet

son, first apprenticed to a merchant, then joined the Army

son, first apprenticed to a merchant, then joined the Army

son, joined the Army

Richard Lowther, merchant, married successively the daughters of Sir Christopher Wandesford and Sir John Fenwick.

Christopher Lowther, merchant, of Little Preston, married Elizabeth Maude and had issue

Gerard Lowther, lawyer, d.v.p. age 23

Catherine Lowther, married Henry Slingsby

Mary Lowther, married John Stanhope.