Family and Education

b. ?1699, 3rd s. of William Lowndes, M.P., sec. to the Treasury, by his 4th w. Rebecca, da. of John Shales; uncle and bro.-in-law of Richard Lowndes.  m. Anne, da. and coh. of Charles Shales, a London banker, 1s.

Offices Held

Chief clerk of Treasury 1755-62; keeper of Treasury papers 1762-5; sec. to Treasury July 1765-Aug. 1767.

Biography

Lowndes, in a memorandum to Newcastle, 7 July 1758, speaks of ‘his laborious service in the Treasury for 38 years past’.1 He was an official par excellence, and the only secretary to the Treasury to hold the office two years without a seat in Parliament. He seems to have had a reputation among his colleagues of being ‘a difficult man’ to deal with.2

Before the general election of 1768 Newcastle recommended Lowndes to stand with Lord Winterton at Bramber, in opposition to Lord Granby’s candidates. They were returned, but were unseated by a party vote of the House. His three reported votes were with Opposition over Wilkes, 27 Jan., 2, 3 Feb. 1769. There is no record of his having spoken in the House.

In 1774 Lowndes unsuccessfully contested Aylesbury.  He died 31 Mar. 1783, aged 84.

Ref Volumes: 1754-1790

Author: Mary M. Drummond

Notes

• 1. Add. 32881, f. 201.
• 2. Letters of Hume, ed. Greig, ii. 135.