James Smith-Stanley, Lord Strange

James Smith-Stanley, Lord Strange (1716 – 1771) was commonly known by that courtesy title, although neither he nor his father had any claim to it as a parliamentary peerage. He was the eldest son of Edward Stanley, 11th Earl of Derby, whose predecessors had held that peerage, but after the death of the 10th Earl the right to two Strange baronies (both baronies by writ) had descended to daughters, while the earldom had passed to an heir male.

Long titleAn Act to enable James Stanley Esquire, commonly called Lord Strange, Eldest Son and Heir Apparent of Edward Earl of Derby, and his Issue by Lucy his Wife (late Lucy Smith), to take and use the Surname of Smith, and bear the Arms of Smith and Hertz.

Citation21 Geo. 2. c. 4 Pr.

Territorial extentGreat Britain

Royal assent25 March 1748

Quick facts Stanley's Name Act 1747, Long title ...

Stanley's Name Act 1747
Act of Parliament
Parliament of Great Britain
Long title	An Act to enable James Stanley Esquire, commonly called Lord Strange, Eldest Son and Heir Apparent of Edward Earl of Derby, and his Issue by Lucy his Wife (late Lucy Smith), to take and use the Surname of Smith, and bear the Arms of Smith and Hertz.
Citation	21 Geo. 2. c. 4 Pr.
Territorial extent	Great Britain
Dates
Royal assent	25 March 1748
Commencement	10 November 1747[a]
Status: Current legislation

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Preceded byThe Earl of Kinnoull

Succeeded byThe Earl of Clarendon

Preceded byThe Earl of Derby

Succeeded byThe Earl of Derby

Quick facts Member of Parliament for Lancashire, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster ...

James Smith-Stanley, Lord Strange
Lord Strange, c. 1749
Member of Parliament for Lancashire
In office 1741–1771 Serving with Richard Shuttleworth (1741–1750), Peter Bold (1750–1761), James Shuttleworth (1761–1768), Lord Archibald Hamilton (1768–1771)
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
In office 1762–1771
Preceded by	The Earl of Kinnoull
Succeeded by	The Earl of Clarendon
Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire
In office 1757–1771
Preceded by	The Earl of Derby
Succeeded by	The Earl of Derby
Personal details
Born	1716 (1716)
Died	1771 (aged 54–55)
Spouse	Lucy Smith
Children	Edward Smith-Stanley, 12th Earl of Derby, Thomas Stanley (1753–1779), and others
Parent	Edward Stanley, 11th Earl of Derby (father)
Military service
Allegiance	Kingdom of Great Britain
Branch/service	Lancashire Militia
Rank	Colonel

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James Stanley married Lucy daughter and coheiress of Hugh Smith of Weald Hall, Essex; on his marriage, he took by a private act of Parliament the additional surname of Smith. Stanley's Name Act 1747 (21 Geo. 2. c. 4 Pr.) They were the parents of Edward Smith-Stanley, 12th Earl of Derby, and several other children, including Thomas Stanley.^[1] He died before his father, so that the earldom later went to his eldest son.

He attended Westminster School where he became a close friend of the future soldier, playwright, and politician John Burgoyne, who was to surrender his army at Saratoga in 1777. As a young man, Burgoyne eloped with Lord Strange's sister. Burgoyne also wrote a masque to celebrate the wedding of Edward Smith-Stanley to Lady Elizabeth Hamilton, a daughter of James Hamilton, 6th Duke of Hamilton.