Background
Wilmot was born in Chaddesden, near Derby the son of Sir Henry Wilmot (4th Baronet) and his wife Maria Mundy daughter of Edmund Mundy of Shipley Hall.
Wilmot was born in Chaddesden, near Derby the son of Sir Henry Wilmot (4th Baronet) and his wife Maria Mundy daughter of Edmund Mundy of Shipley Hall.
He was educated at Rugby School.
He was also a Conservative politician. Wilmot purchased a commission as an Ensign in the 43rd (Monmouthshire) Regiment of Foot. Two years later he purchased a Lieutenancy and in 1855 purchased a Captaincy in the same regiment.
Later in 1855 he transferred to the Rifle Brigade, still as a Captain.
Wilmot served as a captain in the 2nd Battalion, The Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort"s Own) and later was on the staff of Brigadier General Hope Grant. Rifle Brigade, 2nd Battalion.
Captain (now Brevet-Major) Henry Wilmot
Date of Acting of Bravery, 11th March, 1858
Foreign conspicuous gallantry at Lucknow on the 11th March, 1858. That officer found himself at the end of a street with only four of his men, opposed to a considerable body.
One of the four was shot through both legs, and became utterly helpless: the two men lifted him up, and although Private Hawkes was severely wounded, he carried him for a considerable distance, exposed to the fire of the enemy, Captain Wilmot firing with the men"s rifles, and covering the retreat of the party.
Despatch of Brigadier-General Walpole, C.B., dated 20th of March, 1858. Later, he served in the Oudh campaign of 1858-1859 and the Second China War. In 1862, Wilmot retired from the regular army having been appointed a Major in the Volunteer Force unit, the 1st Administrative Battalion, Derbyshire Rifle Volunteers.
Appointment as Lieutenant Colonel of the Derbyshire Rifle Volunteers followed in 1863.
Further recognition was made in 1868 when Wilmot was appointed as a Deputy Lieutenant of Derbyshire In 1881 he was granted the honorary rank of Colonel of the Derbyshire Rifle Volunteers, prior to resigning his commission and being appointed honorary Colonel of the Derbyshire Rifle Corps. With the expansion of the Volunteer Force Wilmot was appointed as brigade commander of the North Midland Brigade in 1888 with the substantive rank of Colonel in the Volunteer Forces an appointment he held until 1895.
He was also an alderman of Derbyshire and had been chairman of the County Council.
Wilmot sat as Conservative Member of Parliament for South Derbyshire from 1869 to 1885.