Edward Bootle-Wilbraham, 1st Earl of Lathom (12 December 1837 – 19 November 1898) known as The Lord Skelmersdale between 1853 and 1880, was a British

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...

politician. He was a member of every Conservative administration between 1866 and 1898, and notably served three times as

Lord Chamberlain of the Household Lord is an appellation for a person or deity who has authority, control, or power over others, acting as a master, chief, or ruler. The appellation can also denote certain persons who hold a title of the peerage in the United Kingdom, or are ...

under

Lord Salisbury Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury (; 3 February 183022 August 1903), known as Lord Salisbury, was a British statesman and Conservative Party (UK), Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United ...

. Having succeeded his grandfather as Baron Skelmersdale in 1853, he was created Earl of Lathom in 1880.

Early life

The Earl of Lathom wearing Masonic regalia

Bootle-Wilbraham was born at

Blythe Hall, Lathom Blythe Hall is a large grade II listed country house in Lathom, Lancashire, England, some 3 miles (5 km) north-east of Ormskirk. It is a two-storey building of rendered sandstone rubble with stone slate roofs to an originally H-shaped plan ...

, Lancashire, the son of Hon.

Richard Bootle-Wilbraham Richard Bootle-Wilbraham (27 October 1801 – 5 May 1844) was a British Conservative Party politician. He sat in the House of Commons from 1835 to 1844. Bootle-Wilbraham was the oldest son of Edward Bootle-Wilbraham, 1st Baron Skelmersdale, a ...

, MP, eldest son of Edward Bootle-Wilbraham. His mother was Jessy, daughter of Sir Richard Brooke, 6th Baronet of Norton. His father died when Edward was only 7 years old and he was brought up by his grandparents at nearby

Lathom House Lathom House was a large country house in the parish of Lathom in Lancashire, England. Built between 1725 and 1740, the main block was demolished in 1925. Early history A wooden castle is believed to have stood on the site in mediaeval times ...

. He was educated at

Eton Eton most commonly refers to Eton College, a public school in Eton, Berkshire, England. Eton may also refer to: Places *Eton, Berkshire, a town in Berkshire, England *Eton, Georgia, a town in the United States *Éton, a commune in the Meuse depa ...

and

Christ Church, Oxford Christ Church (, the temple or house, ''wikt:aedes, ædes'', of Christ, and thus sometimes known as "The House") is a Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Founded in 1546 by Henry V ...

.thepeerage.com Edward Bootle-Wilbraham, 1st Earl of Lathom
/ref> Whilst a student at Oxford he was initiated into the

Apollo University Lodge Apollo University Lodge No 357 is a Masonic Lodge based at the University of Oxford aimed at past and present members of the university. It was consecrated in 1819, and its members have met continuously since then. University of Oxford Membersh ...

No 357, and became an active

Freemason Freemasonry (sometimes spelled Free-Masonry) consists of fraternal groups that trace their origins to the medieval guilds of stonemasons. Freemasonry is the oldest secular fraternity in the world and among the oldest still-existing organizati ...

. He was appointed Honorary Colonel of the 11th (1st Preston) Lancashire Rifle Volunteer Corps on 9 November 1872.

Career

Bootle-Wilbraham succeeded his grandfather as second Baron Skelmersdale in 1853 and was entitled to take a seat in the

House of Lords The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the lower house, the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster in London, England. One of the oldest ext ...

on his 21st birthday in 1858. He served under the

Earl of Derby Earl of Derby ( ) is a title in the Peerage of England. The title was first adopted by Robert de Ferrers, 1st Earl of Derby, under a creation of 1139. It continued with the Ferrers family until the 6th Earl forfeited his property toward the en ...

and then

Benjamin Disraeli Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield (21 December 1804 – 19 April 1881) was a British statesman, Conservative Party (UK), Conservative politician and writer who twice served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. He played a ...

as a

Lord-in-waiting Lords-in-waiting (male) or baronesses-in-waiting (female) are peers who hold office in the Royal Household of the sovereign of the United Kingdom. In the official Court Circular they are styled "Lord in Waiting" or "Baroness in Waiting" (without ...

from 1866 to 1868. In 1870, he became Conservative

Chief Whip The Chief Whip is a political leader whose task is to enforce the whipping system, which aims to ensure that legislators who are members of a political party attend and vote on legislation as the party leadership prescribes. United Kingdom I ...

in the House of Lords. He once again held office under Disraeli as

Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard The Captain of the King's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard is a Government of the United Kingdom, UK Government post usually held by the Government Whip (politics), Deputy Chief Whip in the House of Lords. The present Captain is Margaret Whe ...

from 1874 to 1880, and was admitted to the Privy Council in 1874. In 1880, he was created Earl of Lathom, in the County Palatine of Lancaster. Lord Lathom later held office under

from 1885 to 1886, from 1886 to 1892, and from 1895 to 1898. In 1892, he was appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the

Order of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by King George I of Great Britain, George I on 18 May 1725. Recipients of the Order are usually senior British Armed Forces, military officers or senior Civil Service ...

Personal life

On 16 August 1860, Lord Lathom married Lady Alice Villiers, daughter of George Villiers and the former Lady Katharine Barham (widow of John Joseph Barham, and eldest daughter of James Grimston). Together, they were the parents of: * Lady Alice Maud Bootle-Wilbraham, O.B.E. born 1861 * Constance Adela born 16 July 1862 Died 10 Nov 1864 Lathom House * Lady Florence Mary Bootle-Wilbraham born 1863 died 1944, married the Right Reverend Lord William Cecil,

Bishop of Exeter The Bishop of Exeter is the Ordinary (officer), ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Exeter in the Province of Canterbury. The current bishop is Mike Harrison (bishop), Mike Harrison, since 2024. From the first bishop until the sixteent ...

, son of

Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury (; 3 February 183022 August 1903), known as Lord Salisbury, was a British statesman and Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom three times for ...

, and had issue. *

Edward George Bootle-Wilbraham, 2nd Earl of Lathom Edward George Bootle-Wilbraham, 2nd Earl of Lathom Justice of the Peace, JP Knight of Grace of The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem, KStJ (25 October 1864 – 15 March 1910), was an English Army officer and peer. Ea ...

(1864–1910), married 1889 Lady Wilma Pleydell-Bouverie, daughter of

William Pleydell-Bouverie, 5th Earl of Radnor William Pleydell-Bouverie, 5th Earl of Radnor PC (19 June 1841 – 3 June 1900), styled Viscount Folkestone from 1869 to 1889, was a British Conservative politician. He served as Treasurer of the Household under Lord Salisbury between 1885 and ...

. * Lady Bertha Mabel Bootle-Wilbraham, born 1867 married 1903 to Maj. Arthur Frederick Dawkins, Great grandson of Sir Henry Clinton, and a great great grandson of Henry Dawkins the brother of

James James may refer to: People * James (given name) * James (surname) * James (musician), aka Faruq Mahfuz Anam James, (born 1964), Bollywood musician * James, brother of Jesus * King James (disambiguation), various kings named James * Prince Ja ...

and also

Charles Colyear, 2nd Earl of Portmore Charles Colyear, 2nd Earl of Portmore, KT (27 August 1700 – 5 July 1785), known as Lord Milsington to 1730, of Portmore House, Weybridge, Surrey, was a British Whig politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1726 and 1730, when he succe ...

. They had one daughter, Edith. * Hon. Villiers Richard Bootle-Wilbraham, born abt. 1867, married 1900 to Violet Inez de Romero. * Randle Arthur Brooke Bootle-Wilbraham born 1868 Royal Navy Died 1899, Orme, France * Lady Edith Cecil. Bootle-Wilbraham.bap Jan 1870. Died 1899. * Hon. Reginald Francis Bootle-Wilbraham, born abt. 1875, married 1903 to Lilian Mary Holt, daughter of Major William Lyster Holt The Countess of Lathom died in a carriage accident in November 1897, aged 56. Lady Alice's Drive, opposite Blythe Hall, is named after her. Lord Lathom survived her by a year and died in November 1898, aged 60. He was succeeded in his titles by his eldest son, Edward, Lord Skelmersdale.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lathom, Edward Bootle-Wilbraham, 1st Earl of 1837 births 1898 deaths Earls in the Peerage of the United Kingdom Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom People educated at Eton College Alumni of Christ Church, Oxford Presidents of the Marylebone Cricket Club Freemasons of the United Grand Lodge of England Peers of the United Kingdom created by Queen Victoria