Description: 'The Right Honourable Sir John Eardley Wilmot KNt, Lord Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas' (1709-1792), of the Wilmot family of Osmaston Hall, born and educated in Derby. From an original painting by Sir Joshua Reynolds in the possession of his son John Wilmot Esq.
This image is one of a collection by the famous local antiquarian, Thomas Bateman, of Middleton by Youlgreave. (1821-1861). Bateman organized his collection by inserting them into a 4 volume copy of Lysons Magna Britannia, Derbyshire, creating a fascinating and unique illustrated record of the county. The purchase of the collection for Derbyshire Libraries was made possible by the generous bequest of Miss Frances Webb of Whaley Bridge, well known local historian, who died in December 2006.