James Lowther, 1st Earl of Lonsdale

The son of Robert Lowther of Maulds Meaburn, Westmorland, and Catherine Pennington, he was educated at Peterhouse, Cambridge.

[3] Lowther exercised influence over a number of "rotten" or "pocket" boroughs, including Appleby, a classic example of this type of constituency.

When she died he could not endure to have her buried and the body remained lying in bed until the increasing putrefaction became unbearable.

[3] On 9 June 1792 he fought a duel with a Captain Cuthbert of the Guards, when the latter refused to let the former's carriage pass through Mount Street in London where some rioting had been taking place.

A pistol ball passed through the flap of Cuthbert's coat but after the exchange of fire both men were unhurt.