James Parkinson (1730-1813)

:"Not to be confused with the famous physician James Parkinson."James Parkinson (baptised 28 February 1730, St Mary's Church, Shrewsbury - 1813) was an English land agent and museum proprietor. He was the son of James Parkinson and his wife, Jane Birch. Though his parents had been based in Shrewsbury since 1723, his family had previously settled in Ireland in Charles I's reign.

His first training was as a law stationer, but he then became a land agent and accountant, in 1769 helping in the settlement of Sir Thomas Robinson's tangled estates at Rokeby, Yorkshire. This success brought Parkinson roles as agent or steward to many noblemen's estates, and he became famed as a skilful and upright man of business. He later became one of the proprietors of the Ranelagh Gardens in London and married Sarah some time before 1775.

On 23 March 1786, Parkinson won the lottery for the disposal of the collection of Sir Ashton Lever. The formation of the collection had bankrupted Lever, and Parkinson could not make a success of its display, putting it up for auction in 1806.