James Kenyon (1846 – 25 February 1924)^[1] was an English textile manufacturer^{[2] [3]}and Conservative Party politician from Bury in Lancashire, 1895–1902.

Kenyon was the second son of James Kenyon and his first wife Margaret (née Whittaker) of Crimble, near Heywood in Lancashire.^[2] He was educated at Bury Grammar School and at Liverpool Collegiate Institution.

He was a prosperous woollen and cotton manufacturer with a large factory in Bury. He became a Justice of the Peace (J.P.) for Lancashire, a Fellow of the Royal Colonial Institute, and was chairman of the Liverpool Storage Company.^[2] His residence was listed in 1901 as Walshaw Hall, Bury,^[2] which later became a residential care home.^[4]

In 1875, he had married Elise/ Elisa Augusta Genth, a classically trained musician with German parents, from Burnage.^[2] (although some censuses state that Elise was born in Huddersfield like some of her older siblings, others state Rusholme, where she was baptised and James and Elise were also married; none give Burnage as her place of birth)^[5] They had four sons who assisted in running the business: James died from illness as a result of service in World War I, Charles became a successful actor/manager in London and Myles played cricket for Lancashire.

He was elected at the 1895 general election as the Member of Parliament (MP) for borough of Bury,^[6] having stood unsuccessfully in nearby Heywood at the 1885 election.^[7]

He was re-elected in Bury in 1900,^[6] but resigned his seat in the House of Commons two years later, by the procedural device of becoming Steward of the Manor of Northstead on 29 April 1902.^[8]