Stanley family, Earls of Derby

Sir John Stanley, second son of Sir William Stanley of Storeton (Cheshire) acquired estates in Lancashire, including Lathom and Knowsley, through his marriage in 1390 to Isabel, heiress of Sir Thomas Lathom. He also acquired estates in Cheshire, where the family were hereditary Stewards and Master Foresters of Macclesfield, and was granted the Lordship of Man in 1405. His grandson, Sir Thomas, created Lord Stanley in 1456, acquired Hawarden and Mold (Flintshire) in 1443 and Bosley (Cheshire) in 1446. Thomas, 2nd Lord Stanley, was created Earl of Derby in 1485. His son George married Joan, heiress of Lord Strange of Knockin, and inherited the Strange title and estates in Shropshire (including Ellesmere) and the Welsh marches. The 1st Earl of Derby and his son Lord Strange were granted the manor of Holborn (Middlesex) in 1474, and estates in Lancashire, Cheshire, Flintshire (Hope), Westmorland (Witherslack), Northamptonshire (King's Sutton and Brackley), Cumberland (Bassenthwaite), London and elsewhere. Estates in Yorkshire (Burton-in-Lonsdale and Mewith in the West Riding, and Thirsk and Kirkby Malzeard in the North Riding) were also acquired at this time. The 3rd Earl bought Burscough Priory, Dieulacres Abbey and Manchester College estates, and in 1545 exchanged estates in Lincolnshire, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire for Eynsham Abbey's estates in Oxfordshire.

On the death of the 5th Earl in 1594, the earldom and entailed estates in Lancashire, Cheshire and North Wales went to his brother, William, who also secured the Isle of Man, but the Brackley and Ellesmere estates passed to the heirs general (see Egerton, Earls of Ellesmere). Substantial outlying estates, including Eynsham, were sold in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, and further property, including Mold, was lost on the execution of the 7th Earl and forfeiture of his estates in 1651. On the death of the 9th Earl in 1702 he was succeeded by his brother, as 10th Earl, in most of the family estates, but Lathom, Childwall and other Lancashire manors passed to the 9th Earl’s daughter, the Countess of Ashburnham (see Ashburnham, Earls of Ashburnham). In 1705 the 10th Earl married Mary, daughter and heir of Sir William Morley of Halnaker (Sussex), but part of her estate was sold to pay her family's debts. The 10th Earl also sold his Yorkshire manors, but in 1724 he bought Sir Cleave Moore of Bankhall's properties in Bootle, Kirkdale and Liverpool. In 1736, on his death without issue, the Isle of Man and the barony of Strange passed to his heir general, the second Duke of Atholl (see Murray, later Stewart-Murray, Dukes of Atholl), but the entailed estates descended with the earldom to Sir Edward Stanley, 5th Bt, of Bickerstaffe (Lancashire).

Sir Henry Stanley, son of Sir James Stanley of Cross Hall, the younger brother of the 2nd Earl, acquired Bickerstaffe through marriage in 1563. His son Edward was created a baronet in 1627. In 1697 Sir Thomas, 4th Bt, inherited the manor of Thornley and Patten House in Preston (Lancashire) through his marriage to Elizabeth, daughter and heir of Thomas Patten. Their son Edward married Elizabeth, daughter of Robert Hesketh of Rufford, and succeeded to the earldom in 1736. His son James (d. 1771), who predeceased his father, inherited estates in Ireland and Hamerton (Huntingdonshire) through his marriage to Lucy, daughter and co-heir of Hugh Smith of South Weald (Essex). The 12th Earl acquired The Oaks (Surrey) from his aunt's husband, General John Burgoyne (d. 1792), but it was sold in 1833. The 13th Earl sold the site of Patten House and, in 1847, part of the Moore estate in Liverpool. Irish estates were also sold in the mid-19th century. Estates in Kent and Surrey were late 19th-century purchases.

Estates in 1883: Earl of Derby: Lancs 57,000 acres, Cheshire 9,500 acres, Surrey 1,400 acres, Kent 950 acres, Flintshire 92 acres, total 68,942 acres worth upwards of £163,273 a year, excluding 900 acres leased for buildings and returned in the tenants' names; Hon F Stanley (in 1873): Westmorland 1,431 acres worth £737 a year.