SHAFTESBURY, ANTHONY ASHLEY COOPER, 7TH EARL OF son of Cropley, 6th earl (a younger brother of the 5th earl; succeeded 181i), and Anne, daughter of the 3rd duke of Marlborough, was born on April 28, 18o1. He was educated at Harrow and Christ Church, Oxford, and entered parliament in 1826. He succeeded his father as earl in 1851. Although giving a general support to the Conservatives, his parliamentary conduct was greatly modified by his intense interest in the improvement of the social condition of the working classes, his efforts in behalf of whom have made his name a household word. He opposed the Reform Bill of 1832, but was a supporter of Catholic emancipation, and his objection to the continuance of resistance to the abolition of the Corn Laws led him to resign his seat for Dorset in 1846. In parliament his name, more than any other, is associated with the new factory legislation. He was a lord of the admiralty under Sir Robert Peel but on being invited to join Peel's administration in 1841 refused, having been unable to obtain Peel's support for the Ten Hours' bill. Chiefly by his persistent efforts a Ten Hours' bill was carried in 1847, but its operation was impeded by legal difficulties, which were only removed by successive acts, instigated chiefly by him, until the law was consolidated by the Factory Act of The part which Shaftesbury took in the legislation bearing on coal mines was equally prominent. In 1846, after the resignation
of his seat for Dorset, he explored the slums of the metropolis, and not only gave a new impulse to the movement for the estab lishment of ragged schools, but was able to make it more widely beneficial. For 4o years he was president of the Ragged School Union. He was also one of the principal founders of reformatory and refuge unions, young men's Christian associations and work ing men's institutes. He took an active interest in foreign mis sions, and was president of several of the most important philan thropic and religious societies of London. He died on Oct. 1, 1885. By his marriage (1830) to Lady Emily (d. 1872), daughter of the 5th earl Cowper, he left a large family, and was succeeded by his eldest son Anthony, who committed suicide in 1886, his son (b. 1869) becoming 9th earl.