Biography of Elizabeth Hamilton Countess Derby 1753-1797

On 26th January 1753 Elizabeth Hamilton Countess Derby was born to James Hamilton 6th Duke Hamilton 3rd Duke Brandon [aged 28] and Elizabeth Gunning Duchess Hamilton and Argyll [aged 19].

On 17th January 1758 [her father] James Hamilton 6th Duke Hamilton 3rd Duke Brandon [aged 33] died. His son [her brother] James [aged 2] succeeded 7th Duke Hamilton, 4th Duke Brandon of Suffolk, 4th Baron Dutton of Cheshire.

On 3rd January 1759 [her step-father] John Campbell 5th Duke Argyll [aged 35] and [her mother] Elizabeth Gunning Duchess Hamilton and Argyll [aged 25] were married. He the son of John Campbell 4th Duke Argyll [aged 66] and Mary Drummond Bellenden.

Letters of George III. 4265. [Undated. After 3rd January 1759] I send your Majesty the Dutchess of Argyle's [aged 25] letter to me, I know there is also one for you. Her indelicacy goes a great way, and I am of opinion with my humble advice that your Majesty would now do better to let the Duke of Manchester acquaint her that her daughter [Elizabeth Hamilton Countess Derby [aged 5]] should not come to Court, or be ill received, as letting her come will open the door to others, for though she is not divorced, she has stood a public tryal. I declare I shall neither speak to mother or daughter, and if she leaves my family I shall but get rid of an impertinent person who has always behaved disrespectful to me.

There will be time enough to send to the Duke of Manchester. I shall not answer the Dutchess of Argyle's letter.

On 21st July 1761 Archibald Douglas 1st Duke of Douglas [aged 66] died. Duke Douglas extinct. His half second cousin twice removed [her brother] James [aged 6] succeeded 3rd Marquess Douglas.

On 7th July 1769 James Hamilton 7th Duke Hamilton 4th Duke Brandon [aged 14] died at Hamilton Palace, Hamilton. His brother Douglas [aged 12] succeeded 8th Duke Hamilton, 5th Duke Brandon of Suffolk, 4th Marquess Douglas, 5th Baron Dutton of Cheshire.

On 9th November 1770 John Campbell 4th Duke Argyll [aged 77] died. His son [her step-father] John [aged 47] succeeded 5th Duke Argyll. [her mother] Elizabeth Gunning Duchess Hamilton and Argyll [aged 36] by marriage Countess Argyll.

On 23rd June 1774 Edward Smith-Stanley 12th Earl of Derby [aged 21] and Elizabeth Hamilton Countess Derby [aged 21] were married. She the daughter of James Hamilton 6th Duke Hamilton 3rd Duke Brandon and Elizabeth Gunning Duchess Hamilton and Argyll [aged 40].

On 21st April 1775 [her son] Edward Smith-Stanley 13th Earl of Derby was born to [her husband] Edward Smith-Stanley 12th Earl of Derby [aged 22] and Elizabeth Hamilton Countess Derby [aged 22]. He married 30th June 1798 Charlotte Margaret Hornby Countess Derby and had issue.

1776 Angelica Kauffmann [aged 34]. Portrait of [her husband] Edward Smith-Stanley 12th Earl of Derby [aged 23], Elizabeth Hamilton Countess Derby [aged 22] and their son Edward Smith-Stanley 13th Earl of Derby.

On 22nd February 1776 Edward Stanley 11th Earl of Derby [aged 86] died. His grandson [her husband] Edward [aged 23] succeeded 12th Earl Derby, 6th Baronet Stanley of Bickerstaffe. Elizabeth Hamilton Countess Derby [aged 23] by marriage Countess Derby.

On 17th October 1776 [her daughter] Charlotte Smith-Stanley was born to [her husband] Edward Smith-Stanley 12th Earl of Derby [aged 23] and Elizabeth Hamilton Countess Derby [aged 23]. She married Edmund Hornby.

Around 1777 George Romney [aged 42]. Portrait of Elizabeth Hamilton Countess Derby [aged 23].

Around 1777 [her brother] Douglas Hamilton 8th Duke Hamilton 5th Duke Brandon [aged 20] and [her sister-in-law] Elizabeth Anne Burrell Duchess Hamilton Duchess Brandon [aged 19] were married. She by marriage Duchess Hamilton, Duchess Brandon of Suffolk. He the son of [her father] James Hamilton 6th Duke Hamilton 3rd Duke Brandon and [her mother] Elizabeth Gunning Duchess Hamilton and Argyll [aged 43].

On 29th April 1778 [her daughter] Elizabeth Henrietta Smith-Stanley was born to [her husband] Edward Smith-Stanley 12th Earl of Derby [aged 25] and Elizabeth Hamilton Countess Derby [aged 25]. She married 15th January 1795 Stephen Thomas Cole and had issue.

Around 1779 Elizabeth Hamilton Countess Derby [aged 25] had a very public affair with John Frederick Sackville 3rd Duke Dorset [aged 33]. She moved out of the family home expecting a divorce. Her husband Edward Smith-Stanley 12th Earl of Derby [aged 26] announced he did not intend to divorce his wife and withdrew her access to their children. The countess was socially ostracised for the remainder of her life. She died on 14 Mar 1797. Six weeks later he married again.

On 20th December 1790 [her mother] Elizabeth Gunning Duchess Hamilton and Argyll [aged 57] died in Argyll House 211 King's Road King's Road. Her son [her brother] Douglas [aged 34] succeeded 2nd Baron Hamilton of Hameldon in Leicestershire. [her sister-in-law] Elizabeth Anne Burrell Duchess Hamilton Duchess Brandon [aged 33] by marriage Baroness Hamilton of Hameldon in Leicestershire.

On 15th January 1795 [her son-in-law] Stephen Thomas Cole [aged 30] and Elizabeth Henrietta Smith-Stanley [aged 16] were married. She the daughter of Edward Smith-Stanley 12th Earl of Derby [aged 42] and Elizabeth Hamilton Countess Derby [aged 41].

On 14th March 1797 Elizabeth Hamilton Countess Derby [aged 44] died of tuberculosis.

On 1st May 1797 [her former husband] Edward Smith-Stanley 12th Earl of Derby [aged 44] and Elizabeth Farren Countess Derby [aged 38] were married. She by marriage Countess Derby. The marriage taking place six weeks after the death of his estranged wife Elizabeth Hamilton Countess Derby.

Before 1807 Angelica Kauffmann [aged 65]. Portrait of Elizabeth Hamilton Countess Derby.

On 21st October 1834 [her former husband] Edward Smith-Stanley 12th Earl of Derby [aged 81] died. His son Edward [aged 59] succeeded 13th Earl Derby, 7th Baronet Stanley of Bickerstaffe. Charlotte Margaret Hornby Countess Derby by marriage Countess Derby.