Sir James Whitehead, 1st Baronet

Sir James Whitehead, 1st Baronet DL (2 March 1834 – 20 October 1917) was a British merchant and Liberal Party politician.

He was Master of the Worshipful Company of Fanmakers in 1884, served as Sheriff that year and was then elected Lord Mayor of London for 1888.

He replaced the circus-like Lord Mayor's Show with a State Procession, and was arbitrator in the London Dock Strike of 1889.

He was Chairman of the Visiting Justices of Holloway Prison, Visitor of the City of London Asylum at Stone, Buckinghamshire, a committee member of Christ's Hospital, a Governor of Queen Anne's Bounty, Lord Lieutenant for the City of London, and a Justice of the Peace in Westmorland and in Kent.

He devoted most of his energy in Parliament to the reform of railway freight rates, but served only two years as MP, resigning by becoming Steward of the Manor of Northstead in 1894.