Edward John Stanley, 18th Earl of Derby MC (21 April 1918 - 28 November 1994), styled Lord Stanley from 1938 to 1948, was a British peer.
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Stanley was the eldest son of Edward Stanley, Lord Stanley, and the Honourable Sibyl Louise Beatrix Cadogan. Edward Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby, was his grandfather. He was educated at Eton and Magdalen College, Oxford. His father died when he was twenty and in 1948 he succeeded his grandfather in the earldom.
During the Second World War Stanley was awarded the Military Cross for actions while serving in Italy, advancing to the rank of Major in the service of the Grenadier Guards. He was appointed a Lieutenant-Colonel of the King's Regiment in 1947, Territorial Army. He was Colonel of the 5th/8th (Volunteer) Battalion, King's Regiment between 1947 and 1951. He was Colonel of the 4th (Volunteer) Battalion, Queen's Lancashire Regiment (TAVR) between 1951 and 1967. He was Colonel of the 1st Battalion, Liverpool Scottish, Territorial Army in 1964. He was Colonel of the 1st and 2nd Battalion, Lancastrian Volunteers, Territorial Army between 1967 and 1975.
Derby served as Deputy Lieutenant of Lancashire between 1946 and 1951 and as Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire between 1951 and 1968. Locally, Knowsley Village benefited from the gift of the Church of England Schools, playing fields, and School Cottage to the Church Authorities in 1949. This was followed by the transfer of St. Mary's Church itself. The Knowsley Safari Park was established on his Knowsley Hall estate in 1971. He held the office of Constable of Lancaster Castle between 1972 and 1994 and was Pro-Chancellor of Lancaster University between 1964 and 1971. The 18th Earl of Derby was also involved in supporting the Scout movement and during the Quincentenary of the Earldom celebrations the local Earl of Derby's own troop contributed through the planting of a tree and placing of a stone.
In the family tradition, Lord Derby owned thoroughbred racehorses. His colt Teleprompter won the 1984 Arlington Million at Arlington Park in Chicago, Illinois.
Lord Derby married Isabel Milles-Lade, daughter of the Honourable Henry Augustus Milles, in 1948. The marriage was childless. Lady Derby died in 1990. Lord Derby survived her by four years and died in November 1994, aged 76. He was succeeded in his titles by his nephew, Edward Stanley.
| Honorary titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by The Earl Peel |
Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire 1951–1968 |
Succeeded by The Lord Rhodes |
| Peerage of England | ||
| Preceded by Edward George Villiers Stanley |
Earl of Derby 1948–1994 |
Succeeded by Edward Richard William Stanley |