Lord and Lady Skelmersdale
(1837-1898 and 1841-1897)

Volume 1, page 206, sitting number 1017.

Born Edward Bootle-Wilbraham on 12 December 1837, his father was the Honourable Richard Bootle-Wilbraham, son of the 1st Baron Skelmersdale. His father having died in 1844, Edward succeeded to the title of 2nd Baron Skelmersdale at the death of his grandfather in 1853 and took his seat in the House of Lords on his 21st birthday in 1858.

He was educated at Eton and at Christ Church, Oxford. Between 1866 and 1868 he held the office of Lord-in-Waiting. He served in the Conservative administrations of Benjamin Disraeli as a Government Whip from 1866 to 1868, and then as Conservative Chief Whip in the Lords. He was admitted to the Privy Council in 1874 and in 1880 he was created Earl of Lathom. Lord Lathom later held office under Lord Salisbury as Lord Chamberlain of the Household from 1885 to 1886, from 1886 to 1892 and from 1895 to 1898.

He married Lady Alice Villiers, daughter of the statesman Lord Clarendon, on 16 August 1860. They had nine children.

Lord Lathom died, aged 60, on 19 November 1898.