James Joicey, 1st Baron Joicey

Who was James Joicey, 1st Baron Joicey?

James Joicey, 1st Baron Joicey was a coal mining magnate from Durham and a British Liberal Party politician.

He was elected as Member of Parliament for Chester-le-Street at the 1885 general election, and held the seat until the 1906 election. He was created a Baronet of Longhirst and of Ulgham, both in the County of Morthumberland, on 3 July 1893 and then elevated to the peerage as Baron Joicey, of Chester-le-Street in the County of Durham, on 13 January 1906.

He was Chairman of the family mining company James Joicey & Co Limited, which operated several collieries in the West Durham coalfield including pits at Beamish and Tanfield. In 1924, that company merged with Lambton & Hetton Collieries to form Lambton, Hetton & Joicey Collieries.

From 1887 his seat was Longhirst Hall near Morpeth, Northumberland. In 1906 he bought the Ford Castle estate, Ford, Northumberland and in 1908 the Etal Castle estate, Etal, Northumberland, both of which remain in the ownership of the Joicey family.

He was succeeded by his son James. The current James Joicey is the 5th Baron of Chester-le-Street, and the Heir Apparent is his son, The Hon, William James Joicey