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James Laroche

1734 – 1804

British politician

Politician Slave trader
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About James Laroche

Lived 1734 – 1804 (aged 69–70). James Laroche was a British politician and slave trader.

Sir James La Roche, 1st Baronet (24 June 1734 – September 1804), or Laroche, was an English slave trader and politician. He was a younger son of John LaRoche, Member of Parliament.

Life La Roche became a Bristol slave trader, a partner with James Laroche the elder (died 1770), his uncle and a major figure there in the slave trade of the 1730s and 1740s, in James Laroche & Co. He was Sheriff of Bristol for 1764–5 and a master of the Society of Merchant Venturers in 1782–3.

La Roche died in September 1804, aged 70, when the baronetcy became extinct. He had there two enslaved Africans as servants.

In 1774 La Roche mortgaged an estate in Antigua that had passed to him from his wife. The mortgage was held by the merchant Justinian Casamajor (1746–1820).

Family La Roche married twice: firstly, in 1763 to Elizabeth, the daughter and heiress of John Yeamans of Antigua, widow of William Yeamans Archbould of Antigua and Bristol; she died in 1781. The couple had no children. He then remarried, and had one son, James.

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Important facts

Birth century
Died
1804
Positions held
Member of the 13th Parliament of Great Britain, Member of the 14th Parliament of Great Britain, Sheriff of Bristol
Also known as
James La Roche, Sir James Laroche, 1st Baronet

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped James Laroche's

Frequently asked questions

Who was James Laroche?

British politician

When was James Laroche born?

James Laroche was born on 24 June 1734.

When did James Laroche die?

James Laroche died in 1804.

What was James Laroche's occupation?

James Laroche was a politician and slave trader.

What nationality was James Laroche?

James Laroche was British.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: James Laroche

· Wikidata: Q6137694

· DBpedia: James La Roche

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). James Laroche. https://biography.guide/james-laroche/

MLA: "James Laroche." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/james-laroche/.

Chicago: "James Laroche." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/james-laroche/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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