The Sun.
London, England, 1834-11-03 00:00:00

FUNERAL OF THE EARL OF DERBY.

This solemn and melancholy event took place yesterday, and
was attended by a vast concourse of persons. The late Earl
being universally known, and much respected in Liverpool,
great numbers of individuals set off in carriages and vehicles
of all descriptions ; many for the purpose of showing their re-
spect for the deceased, by attending his obsequies, and others
for the less laudable object of witnessing the display which
was to take place. It was arranged that the funeral should
take place at Ormskirk, and that the procession should leave
Stanley Gate, three miles from Ormskirk, at eleven o'clock.
Early in the morning the numerous tenants of the Earl began
to arrive at Stanley Gate on horseback. Large temporary
stables had been erected for their accommodation; they were
soon dressed with silk scarfs and bands. At ten o'clock they
began to form in the order of procession ; soon after the
hearse, containing the corpse of the late Earl, arrived from
Knowsley Hall, the family seat. The hearse was richly em-
blazoned with the family arms. Private carriages of the No-
bility and Gentry, With the state carriage of the Mayor-of
Liverpool, continued to arrive till eleven o'clock, to the num-
ber of 100. Soon after eleven the order was given to move,
when the tenants, to the number of 450, mostly on stately black
horses, moved on first towards Ormskirk. When within a mile
of Ormskirk the road on each side appeared completely
lined with thousands of respectable spectators. As the pro-
cession entered the town the crowds seemed to increase ;
every house was full ; even the roofs were covered with
anxious lookers-on; the shops were all closed, and as the ca-
valcade moved slowly through this curious old town, with
the fine Gothic church in view, it had a grand and solemn,
effect. So still and quiet was every thing around that Mt a
sound was heard among this immense multitude. At one
o'clock all had got into the churchyard, where the tenants for-
med a double line on each side, to allow the corpse, with the
pall-bearers, to move silently into the church. At this mo-
ment all were bareheaded, and many a hear! that had grown
grey in the service of the deceased seemed sadly cast down,
and tears not a few were shed. The pall-bearers were—on
the right, H. Egerton, Esq., William Hulton, Esq., Lord
Molyneux, and Lord Skelmersdale ; on the left, Colonel
Rawsthorne, R. G. Hopwood, Esq., Sir D. Hesketh, and the
Marquis of Westminster. The funeral service was performed
by the Rev. Joshua Horton, Vicar of Omskirk, in a very im-
pressive manner. The body was then borne to its last resting-
place in the family vault. It was in a splendid coffin, covered
with rich crimson silk velvet, ornamented with massy silver
handles. On the lid there was a fine chased ornament, em-
blematic of Life and Eternity, with a large silver plate, bear-
ing the following inscription :---" Right Hon. Edward Smith
Stanley, twelfth Earl of Derby; born September 12th, 1752
—died October 21st, 1834." When the coffin was deposited
in its place in the vault, the Herald went down and placed the
coronet and cushion on the lid. It is 60 years since the last
Earl was buried. His coffin had lost its fine colour, and
looked decayed. We heard two of his old tenants say they
remembered the event, and that it was a grand sight ; but that
this was equal to it ; they hoped never to see another. Stran-
gers from all quarters had been coming from an early hour in
the morning up to twelve o'clock, and all the streets and inn-
yards were full of carriages of every description. Thus closed
the last scene of the earthly career of a nobleman who was
highly esteemed and deeply lamented by his bereaved family,
his friends, and all who knew him.—Liverpool Chronicle.