Sir James Duke, 1st Baronet (31 January 1792 – 28 May 1873)[2] was a British Liberal Party politician.

In June of that year a vacancy arose in the City of London constituency when the Liberal MP James Pattison died at age 62.

[9] 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.

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

[10] He resigned his Boston seat[7] by taking the Chiltern Hundreds,[11] and at the by-election on 27 July 1849 he was elected as an MP for the City of London constituency,[12] winning more than twice as many votes as his sole opponent, the Conservative Party candidate Lord John Manners.