William Brownlow (1726–1794)


Rt. Hon. William Brownlow PC of Lurgan, Co. Armagh was an Anglo-Irish politician.
He was the only son of William Brownlow MP and Lady Elizabeth Hamilton, daughter of James Hamilton, 6th Earl of Abercorn and Elizabeth Reading.
Brownlow served as High Sheriff of Armagh for 1750 and was first elected to the Irish House of Commons as the Member of Parliament for Armagh County in 1753, holding the seat until 1794. He was also returned for the Strabane constituency in 1768, but was replaced in 1769.
He married firstly Judith Letitia Meredyth, daughter of the Reverend Charles Meredyth, Dean of Ardfert, and had three children, including his heir William and Charles. He married secondly Catherine Hall, daughter of Roger Hall of Mount Hall, County Down, by whom he had a further four children, including Elizabeth, who married John Bligh, 4th Earl of Darnley, and the Rev. Francis Brownlow who married Lady Catherine Brabazon, daughter of Anthony Brabazon, 8th Earl of Meath.
William, his eldest son and heir, also became an MP for County Armagh and founded the bank of William Brownlow Esq.,& Co. Charles became a Lieutenant-Colonel in the 57th Foot, succeeded his childless brother in 1815, and was the father of Charles Brownlow, 1st Baron Lurgan.