William Danby the second, was the only son of the Reverend William and Mary Danby of Swinton Park, Yorkshire. Danby was primarily a writer. In 1784 he served the office of high sheriff of Yorkshire. Danby almost entirely rebuilt his mansion of Swinton from designs by James Wyatt and John Foss of Richmond. The estate included a handsome library and a richly furnished museum of minerals. Danby died at Swinton Park on 4 December 1833.