Arthur Stanley

Sir Arthur Stanley was born on 18 November 1869. He was the third son of the Honorable Frederick Stanley, who later became the 16th Earl of Derby, and Lady Constance Villiers, who later held the title Countess of Derby. Stanley had a total of ten siblings, though two of his siblings did not survive childhood: his twin brother, Geoffrey, died on 16 March 1871, and his sister, Katherine Mary, died later that same year on 21 October.

In 1888, the Stanley family relocated to Canada when his father was appointed Governor General of Canada. During this period, Arthur Stanley developed an interest in ice hockey. He was a member of the Rideau Hall Rebels, among the first ice hockey teams in Canada, and played alongside his older brother, Edward, who later became the 17th Earl of Derby.

The family returned to England in 1893. Arthur Stanley entered politics and was elected as the Member of Parliament for Ormskirk in 1898. He served as MP until 1918. From 1902 to 1912, he was the Provincial Grand Master of the Isle of Man Freemasons; during this time, a lodge was named in his honor. He also held the position of Chairman of the Royal Automobile Club from 1905 to 1907 and again from 1912 to 1936. Additionally, he served as Treasurer of St Thomas' Hospital from 1917 to 1943.

In recognition of his services, he was knighted in 1917 and was designated as a Knight Grand Cross of the British Empire (GBE). Throughout his career, Stanley was actively involved with the British Red Cross Society, serving as a senior member for much of his life. He held the position of Chairman of the Joint War Organisation of the British Red Cross Society and the Order of St John of Jerusalem during World War I and continued in this role through World War II, from 1939 to 1946.

His experience with these organizations and as an MP during the First World War led him to recognize a shortage of well-trained nurses. Consequently, in 1916, he became a co-founder of the College of Nursing, which later became the Royal College of Nursing. He co-founded the institution alongside Dame Sarah Swift, Dame Sidney Browne, and Rachael Cox-Davies. Stanley served as Chair of the College’s Council from 1916 to 1941 and was named Vice President in 1941.

In 1944, he was appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO). Arthur Stanley never married. He passed away on 4 November 1947 in Eastbourne, Sussex. He was buried in the family crypt at St Mary’s Church in Knowsley Village, Merseyside.