Earl of Shaftesbury is a title in the Peerage of England, created in 1672. Among them were: * Anthony Ashley-Cooper (28 April 1801 – 1 October 1885): known as Lord Ashley 1811-1851 and succeeded to the title as 7th Earl of Shaftesbury in 1851. Famous as a philanthropist and social reformer. Shaftesbury Avenue and the Shaftesbury Monument at Piccadilly Circus commemorate him. * Anthony Ashley-Cooper (31 August 1869 – 25 March 1961): grandson of the 7th Earl, he succeeded to the title as 9th Earl of Shaftesbury in 1886, aged 15, when his father committed suicide. He held a number of offices and was briefly a member of the London School Board.