Sir James Lowther

James Lowther was an English landowner, industrialist, merchant and politician. In 1707 he inherited estates from his father Sir John Lowther, 2nd Baronet, of Whitehaven. He had an elder brother but he was disinherited for being a notorious spendthrift and rake.

Lowther made the business and expansion of his inheritance his life's work. He invested heavily in new technology to mine the rich seams of coal on his property in Whitehaven. He also developed the harbor at Whitehaven. Besides estates in Cumberland, he had estates in Westmorland, Middlesex and Surrey. Between 1733 and 1736 he was director of the South Sea Company.

Lowther had a distinguished civil career and has served as Member of Parliament from 1694 till 1702 and again from 1722 till 1755. After his death he left his estates to his cousin, also Sir James, and it was worth about £2m when he received it in 1756. In 2010 that would be worth just over £16.4bn.