He was educated at Harrow School, called to the bar in 1806, appointed High Sheriff of Warwickshire in 1818 or 1819[2] and created a baronet in 1821[3] and in 1822 published An Abridgment of Blackstone's Commentaries.

A large painting in the National Portrait Gallery records that event and Eardley-Wilmot is shown with Dr Stephen Lushington, a judge, behind the main speaker.

[1] He probably owed his position to the interest he had taken in the subject of crime; his plea that prisoners under the age of 21 should be segregated and a special endeavour made to reform them suggests that he was in advance of his period.

He endeavoured to raise the duties on sugar, tea and other foreign goods, but the opposition from the colonists was great and the new taxes were withdrawn.

The official statements relating to his recall were of the vaguest character, such as that he had not shown "an active care of the moral interests involved in the system of convict discipline".

[1] There was no truth in these charges nor was there time for Wilmot to receive any reply to his indignant denials and requests for the names of his accusers.