James Archibald Stuart-Wortley-Mackenzie, 1st Baron Wharncliffe (6 October 1776 – 19 December 1845), English statesman, was the son of Colonel James Archibald Stuart, son of John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute and of his wife Mary Wortley-Montagu (Baroness Mountstuart), as whose heir Colonel Stuart added the name of Wortley, taking later also that of Mackenzie (which his son in later life discarded) as heir to his uncle JS Mackenzie of Rosehaugh. He entered the army, becoming a colonel in 1797, but retired in 1801 and devoted himself to politics, sitting in parliament as a Tory for the rotten borough of Bossiney in Cornwall till 1818, when he was returned for Yorkshire. His attitude on various questions became gradually more Liberal, and his support of Catholic emancipation lost him his seat in 1826. He represented the Perth Burghs in 1830. He was then raised to the peerage as Baron Wharncliffe of Wortley, a recognition both of his previous parliamentary activity and of his high position among the country gentlemen. At first opposing the Reform Bill, he gradually came to see the undesirability of a popular conflict, and he separated himself from the Tories and took an important part in modifying the attitude of the peers and helping to pass the bill, though his attempts at amendment only resulted in his pleasing neither party. He became Lord Privy Seal in Peel’s short ministry at the end of 1834, and again joined him in 1841 as Lord President of the Council. In 1837 he brought out an edition of the writings of his ancestress, Lady Mary Wortley-Montagu (new ed. 1893). On 30 March 1799, he married Lady Elizabeth Caroline Mary Crichton (1779-1856), by whom he had four children John Stuart-Wortley-Mackenzie, 2nd Baron Wharncliffe (1801-1855) Hon. Charles Stuart-Wortley-Mackenzie (1802-1844) Hon. James Archibald Stuart-Wortley (1805-1881), recorder of London and solicitor-general Hon. Caroline Jane Stuart-Wortley-Mackenzie (d. 12 June 1876), married on 30 August 1830 Hon. John Chetwynd-Talbot (1806-1852)
