James Mawdsley (9 January 1848 – 4 February 1902) was an English trade unionist. Alongside Winston Churchill, he stood as a Conservative Party candidate in the double Oldham by-election of 1899.He was born in Preston, Lancashire, to cotton spinner James Mawdsley and his wife, Jane. From the age of 9, the young James worked in a cotton mill as a "half-timer" (he spent half the working day in the mill and half at school). By the age of 16, he was working full-time. He was buried at Christ Church, Ashton-under-Lyne.