Lathom after the Stanleys 1725 – Present

 Paul Kenyon

 

19 November  2012     

When the Stanleys moved to Knowsley Hall the estates at Lathom were sold to Henry  Furness in 1721 who sold them to Thomas Bootle MP, KC, Lord Mayor of Liverpool. He commissioned the new hall designed by Leoni. His brother Robert inherited the estate and then daughter Mary who married R Wilbraham and changed the surname to Wilbraham Bootle. The eldest son became Wilbraham Bootle Wilbraham but dropped the first Wilbraham. He was an MP and became the 1st Baron Skelmersdale. He had an extra storey added to the hall in 1759. Succeeding heirs made advantageous political and aristocratic marriages.

Richard B-W died in 1844 and was succeeded by his grandson Edward. who was created Earl of Lathom, 2nd Baron Skelmersdale in 1880.. He also was an MP and became Lord Chamberlain among other positions. He married Lady Alice who was tragically killed in 1897 when her carriage overturned. Her funeral was attended by the whole staff of the US embassy and flowers were sent by Queen Victoria.

The distraught earl and his daughter died the following year and the estate passed to the 2nd Earl, Edward George who hosted weekend shooting parties. King Edward was included among the guests. His wife Lady Wilma left Lathom after his  death at sea in 1910.

The 3rd Earl Edward William volunteered in WW1 and while he was in India Lord Derby, trustee of the estate, allowed the use of the land for a Remount Depot which was a good source of revenue.

After the war the estate went into decline and the Earl moved to Blythe Hall but he had extravagant tastes and many theatrical friends and soon outlying farms were sold, the house demolished and contents sold. The Earl died in 1930. The earldom became extinct and the barony of Skelmersdale went to a second cousin twice removed.

Plans were made for a vast mental hospital to be built but shelved during the war and the estate was  sold in 1958 by the Ministry of Health. Part of the estate was purchased by Pilkingtons and today only the West Wing, the Chapel, Almonry, gate lodges bench and Scout Hut remain.