About James Chance
Lived 1814 – 1902 (aged 88). James Chance was a business magnate and entrepreneur.
Sir James Timmins Chance, 1st Baronet (22 March 1814 – 6 January 1902 ) was an English industrialist, philanthropist, director of the London and North Western Railway, and an expert in lighthouse optics. He served in public office, including as a Justice of the Peace for Staffordshire and Worcestershire in 1851, Deputy Lieutenant of Staffordshire in 1856 and for Worcestershire in 1859 (in which time he set up the first Volunteer Rifle Corps in the country), and High Sheriff of Staffordshire in 1868. Beneath the bust is a plaque reading:
He was awarded a Baronetcy in 1900, to which he was succeeded by his son, Sir William Chance, 2nd Baronet (1853–1935).
He sat for a portrait by John Callcott Horsley in 1851.
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Important facts
People in James Chance's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped James Chance's
Frequently asked questions
Who was James Chance?
glass manufacturer and lighthouse engineer
When was James Chance born?
James Chance was born on 17 January 1814 in Smethwick.
When did James Chance die?
James Chance died on 17 January 1902 in Hove.
What was James Chance's occupation?
James Chance was a business magnate and entrepreneur.
Sources & further reading
· DBpedia: James Timmins Chance
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). James Chance. https://biography.guide/james-chance/
MLA: "James Chance." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/james-chance/.
Chicago: "James Chance." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/james-chance/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-22 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
Portrait: Wikimedia Commons · author & licence
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