Family and Education

b. 23 Mar. 1793, 1st s. of John Lowther*. educ. Westminster 1808-10; Trinity Coll. Camb. 1811. unm. suc. fa. as 2nd Bt. 11 May 1844.

Offices Held

Sheriff, Yorks. 1852-3.

Capt. Cumb. militia 1820; lt.-col. 1 W. Yorks militia 1830.

Biography

Lowther, like other Members returned by his uncle William, Earl of Lonsdale, consistently supported Liverpool’s administration and opposed Catholic relief. There is no record of his having spoken before 1820. Neither he nor his father attended the house late in 1819: the latter wished to resign his seat for Cumberland, presumably in his son’s favour, but Viscount Lowther assured Lonsdale, 8 Feb. 1820:

Young John Lowther has no taste for Parliament and his manners are not calculated to gain him friends suddenly. Does Mr Lowther expect you are to bring him and his son into Parliament, and they are not to make any return either in attendance of their duty or of assistance to your interest in the county?

Lowther’s father, suspecting that his son would be dropped by Lonsdale, made unsuccessful inquiries for another seat for him, but finding that Lonsdale’s returning him again, ‘must depend on the explanation he is to give of his political opinions’, pledged that his son would ‘not accept of a seat with any other view that than of supporting the measures of government’, 12 Feb. 1820. So no change took place. Lowther died 23 June 1868.

Lonsdale mss.

Ref Volumes: 1790-1820

Author: J. M. Collinge

Notes