Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury
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Anthony Ashley Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury (1801–1885), styled Lord Ashley from 1811 to 1851, was an English politician and philanthropist, one of the best-known of the Victorian era.
Born in London, he was educated at Harrow School and Christ Church College, Oxford. He became a Tory MP (Member of Parliament) in 1826, and almost immediately became a leader of the movement for factory reform. He was largely responsible for the Factory Acts of 1847 and 1853, as well as the Coal Mines Act of 1842 and the Lunacy Act of 1845. One of his chief interests was the welfare of children, and he was chairman of the Ragged Schools Union and a keen supporter of Florence Nightingale.
The Shaftesbury Memorial in Piccadilly Circus, London, erected in 1893, was designed to commemorate his philanthropic works. The Memorial is crowned by Alfred Gilbert's aluminium statue of a nude, winged archer. This is officially titled The Angel of Christian Charity, but has become popularly known as Eros. The use of a nude figure on a public monument was controversial at the time, but the statue has become a London icon and appears on the masthead of the Evening Standard.
Lord Shaftesbury married Lady Emily Caroline Catherine Frances Cowper (d. October 15 1872), daughter of Peter Cowper, 5th Earl Cowper, on 10 June 1830. They had three children:
- Lady Victoria Ashley (d. 15 February 1927), married Harry Chichester, 2nd Baron Templemore and had issue.
- Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 8th Earl of Shaftesbury (27 June 1831 – 13 April 1886)
- Rt. Hon. Evelyn Melbourne Ashley (24 July 1836–15 November 1907), married Sybella Charlotte Farquhar and had issue.
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