About William James
Lived 1791 – 1861 (aged 70). William James was a British politician and plantation owner.
William James (29 March 1791 – 4 May 1861) was an English Radical politician. A Liverpool-born slave-owner, he sat in the House of Commons as a Member of Parliament (MP) for constituencies in Cumberland for twenty years over the three decades from 1820.
Early life James was born in Liverpool, to a family enriched by his grandfather William James (1735–1798), a slave trader, plantation owner and slave owner. He was baptised at a Paradise Street Unitarian Chapel in Liverpool, but later practised as an Anglican.
At the 1835 general election, James stood down in Carlisle.
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Important facts
Related people
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Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped William James's
Frequently asked questions
Who was William James?
British Member of Parliament (1791-1861)
When was William James born?
William James was born on 29 March 1791.
When did William James die?
William James died on 4 May 1861.
What was William James's occupation?
William James was a politician and plantation owner.
What nationality was William James?
William James was British.
Sources & further reading
· DBpedia: William James (Carlisle MP)
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). William James. https://biography.guide/william-james-politician/
MLA: "William James." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/william-james-politician/.
Chicago: "William James." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/william-james-politician/.
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