James Townsend (Lord Mayor of London)

James Townsend (1737–1787) was an English Whig politician and Lord Mayor of London in 1772. Initially a strong supporter of John Wilkes, he later became a determined opponent.

He was the son of Chauncy Townsend and educated at Hertford College, Oxford.

In politics James Townsend was closely linked from the 1760s with William Petty, 2nd Earl of Shelburne. Supported by Shelburne, he entered Parliament as Member for West Looe at a by-election in 1767, holding the seat until 1774.

In 1769 he was Sheriff of the City of London with John Sawbridge, and together they opposed Sir James Eyre on the place of execution of convicted weavers. In the same year Townsend followed John Horne in breaking away from the supporters of John Wilkes, founding the Constitutional Society.

In 1781 he presented a petition for electoral reform from the Tiverton activist Martin Dunsford. In 1782 Shelburne arranged for his election to Parliament for Calne. As a member he backed some calls for reform, but mainly supported William Pitt the Younger. Shortly before his death in office he had opposed the impeachment of Warren Hastings.

He married in 1763 Rosa du Plessis, illegitimate daughter of Henry Hare, 3rd Baron Coleraine. She was her father's heiress, but the estate had escheated to the Crown, because she was an alien. By means of his father's influence with Henry Fox, Townsend had the estate restored to him by a private Act of Parliament. They had one son, Henry Hare Townsend, and one daughter.

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