History Study Day at Knowsley Hall
The Life and Legacy of the 13th Earl of Derby

Step into the world of Edward, 13th Earl of Derby (1775–1851) — renowned art collector, natural historian, and patron of Edward Lear. This special study day, curated and hosted by The Countess of Derby, will explore his extraordinary legacy as a conservationist, zoologist, and cultural figure, whose influence reached far beyond the walls of Knowsley Hall.

Programme Highlights

• Lady Derby – Introducing the day

• Dr Alan Crosby – The early life of the 13th Earl: family, interests, and passion for natural history

• Dr Clemency Fisher – “Was this the biggest Zoo on Earth?” and the continuing importance of the 13th Earl’s zoological museum

• Jenny Uglow – The Gleanings of the Menagerie (1846 & 1850) and Edward Lear

• Dr Xanthe Brooke – The Earl’s collection of miniatures and paintings

• Frank Cottrell Boyce – Children’s Poet Laureate (2024) on Lear’s limericks and their legacy: “How Pleasant to Know Mr Lear”

With leading historians, writers, and art historians, this day promises fresh insights into one of the most remarkable figures of 19th-century Britain