Edward George Villiers Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby
(1865-1948), Politician, Secretary of State for War and British Ambassador to France, racehorse owner and soldierSitter in 45 portraits
Lord Stanley served as private secretary to Lord Roberts during the Second Boer War, 1900. Appointed Director of Recruiting in World War One, his schemes paved the way for conscription. He was promoted to Secretary of State for War, 1916, and several times offered his resignation in support of Field Marshal Robertson, Chief of the Imperial General Staff. He was Ambassador to France 1918-20. In later life, he focused on re-establishing his family's place in the world of horseracing. Having developed the largest stable at Newmarket, his horses won the Derby in 1924 and 1933.
'The King at the Cup Final, Wembley'
by Unknown artist
colour relief halftone cigarette card, 1935
NPG D47241
Edward George Villiers Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby
issued by Godfrey Phillips
colour relief halftone cigarette card, 1935
NPG D49040
Edward George Villiers Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby
issued by Gallaher Ltd
colour relief halftone cigarette card, 1936
NPG D48951
Edward George Villiers Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby
issued by W.D. & H.O. Wills
relief halftone cigarette card, 1937
NPG D49222
Edward George Villiers Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby
by Alexander Bassano
half-plate glass negative, 1895
NPG x31287
Edward George Villiers Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby
by Alexander Bassano
half-plate glass negative, 1895
NPG x31288
Edward George Villiers Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby
by Alexander Bassano
half-plate glass negative, 1895
NPG x31289
Edward George Villiers Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby
by Alexander Bassano
half-plate glass negative, 1895
NPG x31290
Edward George Villiers Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby
by Bassano Ltd
whole-plate glass negative, 1914
NPG x19385
Edward George Villiers Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby
by Bassano Ltd
whole-plate glass negative, 1914
NPG x19386
Edward George Villiers Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby
by Bassano Ltd
whole-plate glass negative, 1914
NPG x80288
Edward George Villiers Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby
by Bassano Ltd
whole-plate glass negative, 1914
NPG x80289
by James Russell & Sons
bromide print, May 1917
NPG x32129
Edward George Villiers Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby
by Walter Stoneman
negative, 1921
NPG x426
Edward George Villiers Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby
by Walter Stoneman
negative, 1921
NPG x67460
Edward George Villiers Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby
by Walter Stoneman
negative, 1921
NPG x67461
Edward George Villiers Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby
by Lafayette
whole-plate film negative, 13 April 1926
NPG x48767
Edward George Villiers Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby
by Lafayette
whole-plate film negative, 13 April 1926
NPG x48768
Edward George Villiers Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby
by Lafayette
whole-plate nitrate negative, 13 June 1930
NPG x70436
Edward George Villiers Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby
by Lafayette
whole-plate nitrate negative, 13 June 1930
NPG x70437
Related People
- Edward Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby (grandfather)
- Emma Caroline Stanley (née Bootle-Wilbraham), Countess of Derby (grandmother)
- Edward Henry Stanley, 15th Earl of Derby (uncle)
- Frederick Arthur Stanley, 16th Earl of Derby (father)
- Constance (née Villiers), Countess of Derby (mother)
- Alice Maud Olivia (née Montagu), Countess of Derby (wife)
- Edward John Stanley, 18th Earl of Derby (grandson)
- Lady Isobel Constance Mary Gathorne-Hardy (née Stanley) (sister)
- Edward Montagu Cavendish Stanley, Lord Stanley (son)
- Hon. Algernon Francis Stanley (brother)
- Sir Arthur Stanley (brother)
- Ferdinand Charles Stanley (brother)
- Hon. Frederick William Stanley (brother)
- Sir George Frederick Stanley (brother)
- Oliver Frederick George Stanley (son)
- Richard Oliver Stanley (grandson)
- Sir Victor Albert Stanley (brother)
- Lady Emma Charlotte Talbot (née Stanley) (aunt)
Comments back to top
We are currently unable to accept new comments, but any past comments are available to read below.
If you need information from us, please use our Archive enquiry service . Please note that we cannot provide valuations. You can buy a print or greeting card of most illustrated portraits. Select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Buy a Print button. Prices start at around £6 for unframed prints, £16 for framed prints. If you wish to license an image, select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Use this image button, or contact our Rights and Images service. We digitise over 8,000 portraits a year and we cannot guarantee being able to digitise images that are not already scheduled.
Daniel John Moore
21 July 2021, 19:55
My great grandfather was 17th Earl of Derby Lord Edward Stanley of Knowsley My grandmother was born out of wedlock because she was the bastards child of Lord Derby 17th, she was born in the WW1 1914 whilst Edward was in France on the front line