James Atherton (founder of New Brighton)

James Atherton (1770 – 28 October 1838) was a British merchant and real estate developer known for his contributions to the economic and urban development of the Liverpool region in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. During this period, he was instrumental in transforming Everton into an affluent residential district and initiated the construction of the historically significant St George's Church. In association with his son-in-law William Rowson, he founded the seaside resort of New Brighton in 1830.