books 

Discover the Diaries of the 14th Earl of Derby 
One of the Most Influential Politicians of the Victorian Age

The Countess of Derby has been instrumental in bringing to light the diaries of the 14th Earl of Derby after finding them in Knowsley Hall. With the help of leading scholars, the Countess has helped to edit and shape the diaries for publication in April 2025. The 14th Earl of Derby was one of the leading political and social thought leaders of his day. His reflections on his travels across Europe and America are as relevant today as they were then. Academics are agreed that Edward Geoffrey Stanley’s contribution to the Victorian Era are beyond compare.

One of the most inspiring thinkers of the Victorian age Edward Geoffrey Stanley transformed the political thinking of his generation. He campaigned to abolish slavery after witnessing the horrific conditions of enslaved Africans on the plantations in the Deep South. His stand convinced the British Parliament to take the decision to abolish slavery in the colonies of the British Empire in 1833. His epic journey across America in 1824-5 gave rise to observations and experiences that changed the world. The Earl’s first-hand discovery of the abject poverty of the Irish emigrants led to his later introduction of a new education bill that bought education to both Protestants and Catholics in every parish in Ireland. The Earl witnessed the inauguration of the 6th American President John Quincy Adams.

Edward Geoffrey Smith Stanley rode this route from Knowsley to Naples and back again in 1820-2.

The 14th Earl landed in New York in 1824. Follow his journey on these maps.

The Books

A Grand Tour Journal 1820-1822  
The Awakening of The Man

by Edward G Stanley, edited by Angus Hawkins 

In December 1820, at twenty-one years old, Edward Geoffrey Stanley, the future 14th Earl of Derby and three-times prime minister, began an extensive tour of continental Europe with a focus on Italy. By the time of his return to England twenty months later, he had visited many of Italy’s most celebrated centres for art and culture and explored the Swiss Alps and parts of Austria and Germany. In his travel diaries he recorded his intensive social life, his visits to historical sites, his viewings of art collections, his comments on architecture, his admiration of landscapes and his impressions of foreign societies. He was energetic, enthusiastic and discerning: the bridge of Augustus in Umbria gave him ‘a stupendous idea of Roman grandeur’; the charm of the towns crowning the Tuscan hills struck him with the same delight that he felt when gazing at one of Poussin’s paintings; the waterfall at Terni, which dropped 370 feet into an abyss of spray, was ‘awfully magnificent’; while the ceremonies of the Italian Catholic Church he judged to be a blend of mummery, superstition and bigotry. Sights and experiences like these influenced him for the rest of his life.

This precious collection of diaries, found only recently and published here for the first time, reveal Edward Stanley to have been a young man of diligence, courage and decisiveness: a future leader with a conspicuous and burgeoning sense of political and social justice. It was these characteristics, seen in early development within these pages, that shaped the man and the extraordinary career to come.

A North American Tour Journal 1824-1825  
The Making of a Prime Minister

by Edward G Stanley, edited by Lisa A. Francavilla and Caroline Derby. Foreword by Andrew O’Shaughnessy 

Due to be published in April 2025.

On 21st July 1824 Edward Geoffrey Stanley landed in New York, after a sea passage of 37 days from Liverpool. Over the following eight months before his return to Britain he made a remarkable tour of eastern Canada and the young Republic of the United States or America, travelling by horse, carriage and boat, along tracks, lakes and rivers. He explored New England, upstate New York, Niagara Falls, the St Lawrence River and the great lakes of Ontario and Erie. He crossed the Appalachian Mountains, before travelling down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers to New Orleans. Stanley was horrified to see the condition of the enslaved Africans working on the plantations in the Deep South, alongside the destruction of the Native Americans and the abject poverty of the Irish emigrants. He continued his journey overland from Alabama to Charleston, South Carolina, before taking a coastal ship up to Washington DC where he witnessed the inauguration of the sixth American President John Quincy Adams. Stanley’s encounters with the culture, economics, politics and peoples of North America stood him in good stead for his later career as a political reformer and distinguished statesman.

Art, Animals and Politics  
Knowsley and the Earls of Derby

By Stephen Lloyd 

Since they were created Earls of Derby in 1485, the Stanley’s - a great Lancastrian family, whose seat, Knowsley Hall, is near Liverpool - have been significant in the life of the nation as patrons and collectors, sportsmen and politicians. These absorbing essays by a distinguished cast of contributors- led by historian David Starkey, on Lady Margaret Beaufort,the first Countess of Derby, and broadcaster Sir David Attenborough, on Edward Lear’s stay at Knowsley - cover key facets of the family’s diverse achievements. The 4th, 5thand 6th Earls were patrons of the Elizabethan theatre; the10th Earl formed an outstanding collection of old master paintings; the 12th Earl founded two classic horse races and married the celebrated actress Elizabeth Farren; the 13th Earl established the largest aviary and menagerie in the country and collected natural history books and watercolours; the14th Earl, leader of the Conservative Party, served three times as Prime Minister; the 15th Earl was Foreign Secretary under Disraeli and Colonial Secretary under Gladstone,while his wife, Mary Derby, became a powerful political influence behind the scenes. Illustrated with works from the Derby Collection, and elsewhere.

A Passion for Natural History  
The Life and Legacy of the 13th Earl of Derby

By Clemency Fisher 

Produced to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the bequest of the 13th Earl of Derby’s bird and mammal collections, upon which the Liverpool Museum was founded. Beautifully illustrated throughout, including illustrations by some of the greatest natural history painters, this catalogue is a fitting tribute to a pioneering collector who created a resource that remains hugely important in modern times.

books 

Discover the Diaries of the 14th Earl of Derby 
One of the Most Influential Politicians of the Victorian Age

The Countess of Derby has been instrumental in bringing to light the diaries of the 14th Earl of Derby after finding them in Knowsley Hall. With the help of leading scholars, the Countess has helped to edit and shape the diaries for publication in April 2025. The 14th Earl of Derby was one of the leading political and social thought leaders of his day. His reflections on his travels across Europe and America are as relevant today as they were then. Academics are agreed that Edward Geoffrey Stanley’s contribution to the Victorian Era are beyond compare.

One of the most inspiring thinkers of the Victorian age Edward Geoffrey Stanley transformed the political thinking of his generation. He campaigned to abolish slavery after witnessing the horrific conditions of enslaved Africans on the plantations in the Deep South. His stand convinced the British Parliament to take the decision to abolish slavery in the colonies of the British Empire in 1833. His epic journey across America in 1824-5 gave rise to observations and experiences that changed the world. The Earl’s first-hand discovery of the abject poverty of the Irish emigrants led to his later introduction of a new education bill that bought education to both Protestants and Catholics in every parish in Ireland. The Earl witnessed the inauguration of the 6th American President John Quincy Adams.

Edward Geoffrey Smith Stanley rode this route from Knowsley to Naples and back again in 1820-2.

The 14th Earl landed in New York in 1824. Follow his journey on these maps.

The Books

A Grand Tour Journal 1820-1822  
The Awakening of The Man

by Edward G Stanley, edited by Angus Hawkins 

In December 1820, at twenty-one years old, Edward Geoffrey Stanley, the future 14th Earl of Derby and three-times prime minister, began an extensive tour of continental Europe with a focus on Italy. By the time of his return to England twenty months later, he had visited many of Italy’s most celebrated centres for art and culture and explored the Swiss Alps and parts of Austria and Germany. In his travel diaries he recorded his intensive social life, his visits to historical sites, his viewings of art collections, his comments on architecture, his admiration of landscapes and his impressions of foreign societies. He was energetic, enthusiastic and discerning: the bridge of Augustus in Umbria gave him ‘a stupendous idea of Roman grandeur’; the charm of the towns crowning the Tuscan hills struck him with the same delight that he felt when gazing at one of Poussin’s paintings; the waterfall at Terni, which dropped 370 feet into an abyss of spray, was ‘awfully magnificent’; while the ceremonies of the Italian Catholic Church he judged to be a blend of mummery, superstition and bigotry. Sights and experiences like these influenced him for the rest of his life.

This precious collection of diaries, found only recently and published here for the first time, reveal Edward Stanley to have been a young man of diligence, courage and decisiveness: a future leader with a conspicuous and burgeoning sense of political and social justice. It was these characteristics, seen in early development within these pages, that shaped the man and the extraordinary career to come.

A North American Tour Journal 1824-1825  
The Making of a Prime Minister

by Edward G Stanley, edited by Lisa A. Francavilla and Caroline Derby. Foreword by Andrew O’Shaughnessy 

Due to be published in April 2025.

On 21st July 1824 Edward Geoffrey Stanley landed in New York, after a sea passage of 37 days from Liverpool. Over the following eight months before his return to Britain he made a remarkable tour of eastern Canada and the young Republic of the United States or America, travelling by horse, carriage and boat, along tracks, lakes and rivers. He explored New England, upstate New York, Niagara Falls, the St Lawrence River and the great lakes of Ontario and Erie. He crossed the Appalachian Mountains, before travelling down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers to New Orleans. Stanley was horrified to see the condition of the enslaved Africans working on the plantations in the Deep South, alongside the destruction of the Native Americans and the abject poverty of the Irish emigrants. He continued his journey overland from Alabama to Charleston, South Carolina, before taking a coastal ship up to Washington DC where he witnessed the inauguration of the sixth American President John Quincy Adams. Stanley’s encounters with the culture, economics, politics and peoples of North America stood him in good stead for his later career as a political reformer and distinguished statesman.

Art, Animals and Politics  
Knowsley and the Earls of Derby

By Stephen Lloyd 

Since they were created Earls of Derby in 1485, the Stanley’s - a great Lancastrian family, whose seat, Knowsley Hall, is near Liverpool - have been significant in the life of the nation as patrons and collectors, sportsmen and politicians. These absorbing essays by a distinguished cast of contributors- led by historian David Starkey, on Lady Margaret Beaufort,the first Countess of Derby, and broadcaster Sir David Attenborough, on Edward Lear’s stay at Knowsley - cover key facets of the family’s diverse achievements. The 4th, 5thand 6th Earls were patrons of the Elizabethan theatre; the10th Earl formed an outstanding collection of old master paintings; the 12th Earl founded two classic horse races and married the celebrated actress Elizabeth Farren; the 13th Earl established the largest aviary and menagerie in the country and collected natural history books and watercolours; the14th Earl, leader of the Conservative Party, served three times as Prime Minister; the 15th Earl was Foreign Secretary under Disraeli and Colonial Secretary under Gladstone,while his wife, Mary Derby, became a powerful political influence behind the scenes. Illustrated with works from the Derby Collection, and elsewhere.

A Passion for Natural History  
The Life and Legacy of the 13th Earl of Derby

By Clemency Fisher 

Produced to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the bequest of the 13th Earl of Derby’s bird and mammal collections, upon which the Liverpool Museum was founded. Beautifully illustrated throughout, including illustrations by some of the greatest natural history painters, this catalogue is a fitting tribute to a pioneering collector who created a resource that remains hugely important in modern times.