Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 10th Earl of Shaftesbury

Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 10th Earl of Shaftesbury (22 May, 1938–2004) was a British aristocrat. In November 2004 he went missing in France having been murdered by his brother-in-law during an argument regarding a divorce from his wife Jamila. On 6 April 2005, Lord Shaftesbury's body was found in the Alps. His widow and her brother were convicted of his murder on 25 May 2007. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/6693763.stm BBC NEWS | UK | England | Widow guilty of murdering earl ] ]

He inherited the Earldom of Shaftesbury in 1961 from his grandfather, the 9th Earl; his father, Lord Ashley, having died in 1947. He also held the subsidiary titles Baron Ashley and Baron Cooper. Shaftesbury's mother, his father's second wife, was the French-born Françoise Soulier.

Lord Shaftesbury, who was educated at Eton and Oxford, had residences in Hove, the City of London, the French Riviera, and Versailles. Although a member of the House of Lords, until the passage of the House of Lords Act in 1999, he rarely attended. His maiden speech was made in 1999. [ [http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld199899/ldhansrd/vo991110/text/91110-20.htm Lords Hansard text for 10 Nov 1999] ]

House of Lords Speech, 10 November 1999

Shaftesbury made an eight minute speech in a debate:

"Arts and Sport",

"The Earl of Clancarty rose to ask Her Majesty's Government how they believe the arts and sport relate to the issue of "social exclusion".

Some of it is below (from Hansard)::7 p.m.::The Earl of Shaftesbury:::My Lords, I apologise to noble Lords for this dramatic last-minute but not opportunistic maiden speech. Although I inherited my title 30 years ago and have attended spasmodically, particularly during the early 1970s when we rigorously debated the Industrial Relations Bill and the European Community Bill of Accession, both in Committee and on Report until extremely late at night, my heart has not entirely been in the thrust and cut of politics, unlike my more distinguished ancestors.

:::In fact, building a society the Shaftesbury way is not a matter of imprisoning a presumed evil spirit of mankind. It is a matter of beauty and truth. Both Goethe and Voltaire were influenced by the third Lord Shaftesbury. The former particularly reminded us that we must cultivate our garden. We all know about large prize-winning marrows, but are not succulent baby courgettes more perfect? Small is beautiful too... :::...One of the best sermons I have ever been privileged to hear was by the late Bishop of Winchester. Social exclusion? He said virtually that if one sheep from a flock of 100 goes missing, the good shepherd worries frantically about that single sheep until it is safely found. There are too many sheep, men, women and children, being marginalised. John the Baptist had the answer: why do we not? I remain concerned in these turbulent times, but thank you for your patience. It has been my privilege to be able to speak in your Lordships' House.

Marriages and children

Lord Shaftesbury was married three times. Firstly to "Bianca Maria de Paolis", daughter of "Gino de Paolis", whom he married in 1966 and divorced in 1976.

In 1976, he married, as his second wife, "Christina Eva Montan", the daughter of former Ambassador Nils Montan and they had two sons:

* Anthony Nils Christian Ashley-Cooper, 11th Earl of Shaftesbury (1977-2005)
* Nicholas Edmund Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 12th Earl of Shaftesbury (b. 3 June 1979)

In 2002, in the Netherlands, he married "Jamila Ben M'Barek", a Paris-born nightclub hostess of Tunisian parents. They were separated at the time of his murder.

Murder

In February 2005, Lady Shaftesbury and her brother, Mohammed M'Barek, were arrested by French police on suspicion of murder. According to police, Lady Shaftesbury, after suffering a nervous breakdown, allegedly admitted that her brother and husband got into a fight at her home and that Lord Shaftesbury had been killed. Mohammed later admitted to strangling the lord but claimed that it was accidental, occurring following the consumption of large amounts of alcohol and cannabis. [cite news | title=British lord's widow and brother-in-law to stand murder charges | date=2006-10-22 | accessdate=2006-11-18 | work=Agence France Presse]

On 6 April 2005, a body in an advanced state of decomposition was discovered by the police of Nice at Théoule-sur-Mer, Alpes-Maritime. It was believed to be that of the late Lord Shaftesbury, and this was confirmed though DNA testing on 18 April. The police had been led to the body by examination of Lord Shaftesbury's mobile phone records and his phone signal.

On 30 September 2005 Lord Shaftesbury's ashes were laid to rest in the family tomb in the parish church in his family's home village of Wimborne St Giles in Dorset. [cite news | title=Penniless aristocrat is struck by family curse | date=2006-09-28 | accessdate=2006-11-18 | author=Roy Harrington | work=Western Daily Press | page=18] His widow Jamila, The Countess of Shaftesbury, and her brother Mohammed M'Barek were convicted of his murder on 25 May 2007. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/6693763.stm BBC NEWS | UK | England | Widow guilty of murdering earl ] ]

Shaftesbury had two children, both with Montan; Anthony, born in 1977 and died in 2005, and Nicholas, born in 1979.

References

External links

* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/4024989.stm BBC: Story about his disappearance]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/4302899.stm BBC: Story about arrests]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4463279.stm BBC: Confirmation of body's identity]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/4295040.stm BBC: Funeral for Earl killed in France]
* [http://archive.thisisdorset.net/2005/10/1/111414.html Dorset Echo: Slain earl laid to rest alongside son]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/6680535.stm BBC: Brother in law denies earl murder]