Sir Thomas Stanley, 4th Bt. Stanley, of Bickerstaffe

Do not confuse with Thomas Stanley of New Kent County. Thomas Stanley, Jr. was not his son.

Sir Thomas Stanley, 4th Bt. succeeded to the title of 4th Baronet Stanley, of Bickerstaffe, co. Lancs [E., 1627] on 16 October 1671.

The Eleventh Earl.

The eleventh earl was Sir Edward Stanley, Bart., of Bickerstaffe Hall, near Ormskirk, paternally descended from Sir John Stanley, who married "the fair Isabel" of Lathom, and likewise maternally descended from the Princess Elizabeth Plantagenet, daughter of Edward I. Sir Edward was the fifth baronet.

The baronetage was first conferred on a Sir Edward Stanley in the year 1627. His second son was named Henry, and was father of Edward Stanley, Esq., of Preston, who died in 1755, at the extraordinary age of 103 years. The second baronet was Sir Thomas Stanley, who married the widow of Henry Houghton, Esq., of Brimscolls, and whose fourth son, Peter, was the progenitor of the Stanleys, of Cross Hall. The third baronet was Sir Edward Stanley, who was born in 1664, and died of fever in October, 1671. The fourth baronet was Sir Thomas Stanley, who married, on the 16th of August, 1688, Elizabeth, only daughter of Thomas Patten, Esq., M.P., of Preston, by whom he had four sons. Sir Thomas himself was member for Preston in 1695, and died on the 17th May, 1713. His eldest son - Sir Edward -became the fifth Baronet and eleventh Earl of Derby.

Sir Edward Stanley was born on the 11th September, 1689, and married, in March, 1714, Elizabeth, only daughter of Robert Hesketh, Esq., of Rufford, by Elizabeth, only daughter and heiress of the Honourable William Spencer, of Ashton Hall. Sir Edward had a residence in Preston, was an alderman of the borough served the office of Mayor in 1731-2, and gave to the Corporation the large silver punch bowl which is still filled with wine and "handed round " to the guests at important municipal gatherings. He was afterwards returned as member for the County of Lancaster, and succeeded to the Earldom of Derby in 1736. His eldest son, James, Lord Stanley (commonly but erroneously called Lord Strange) married Lucy, daughter and co. heir of Hugh Smith, Esq., of Weald Hall, Essex, of the ancient family of Smith, or Herriz, of Edmundthorpe, and thereafter assumed the additional surname of Smith. He was an active member of Parliament, and held the offices of Chancellor of the Duchy and Lord Lieutenant of the County Palatine of Lancaster. He died at Bath on the 14th of June, 1771. His father, the eleventh Earl, died on the 22nd of February, 1776, aged 87 years.

Source: A Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of the Landed Gentry, B. Burke London 1858

References

• http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1690-1715/member/st...
• http://www.europeanheraldry.org/united-kingdom/families/families-s/...
• https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw118955/Sir-Tho...