Derby, Earl of

Title borne by the English Stanley family since 1485. Notable members include Edward (George Geoffrey Smith) Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby, and Edward George Villiers Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby. The 18th Earl is Edward John Stanley (1918– ), who succeeded to the title in 1948.

Thomas, 2nd Baron Stanley (c. 1435–1504), was created 1st Earl of Derby in 1485 for his services at the Battle of Bosworth, where he crowned the victor, Henry VII. Edward Stanley, 3rd Earl (1508–1572), was a commissioner at the trial of Lady Jane Grey and a privy councillor under three sovereigns. Henry Stanley, 4th Earl (1531–1593), married Margaret Clifford, granddaughter of Mary Tudor, sister of Henry VIII. He was a commissioner at the trial of Mary Queen of Scots in 1586; two years later he was sent on a mission to Spain, and on his return was appointed lord high steward.

Edward Henry Stanley, 15th Earl (1826–1893), eldest son of the 14th Earl, was foreign undersecretary in 1852 and colonial secretary in 1858. He became foreign secretary in his father's third ministry. He was again foreign secretary under Disraeli 1874–78. He became a Liberal in 1880 and colonial secretary under Gladstone in 1882, but he was opposed to home rule and became leader of the Liberal Unionists in the House of Lords. By leaving the Conservatives he sacrificed his succession to the premiership.

15th to 18th earls The 15th Earl was succeeded by his brother, Frederick Arthur Stanley (1841–1908), Baron Stanley of Preston (created 1886). He was member of Parliament for Preston, North Lancashire, and Blackpool successively 1865–86; a lord of the Admiralty in 1868, financial secretary to the War Office 1874–77 and to the Treasury 1877–78, secretary of state for war 1878–80, vice-president of the committee of the council on education in 1885, secretary of state for the colonies 1885–86, president of the Board of Trade 1886–88, and governor general of Canada 1888–93. He was succeeded by his eldest son, Edward Stanley, 17th Earl, whose grandson, Edward John Stanley, succeeded to the title in 1948.