Sir Harry Verney, 2nd Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir Harry Verney, 2nd Baronet PC
, DL
, JP
(8 December 1801 – 12 February 1894) was an English
soldier and Liberal
politician who sat in the House of Commons variously between 1832 and 1885.
, then aged fifteen went to the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
, as one of its first cadets. In 1826, he succeeded his father as baronet
and in the following year, he changed his surname by Royal Licence to Verney to inherit the Verney family estates of his cousin Mary Verney, 1st Baroness Fermanagh. From 1831, he studied at Downing College, Cambridge
, befriending Adam Sedgwick
and William Whewell
.
in 1819 and was sent to the country's legation in the German states Württemberg
and Baden
, learning during this time German, French and Italian. He returned to England in the following year and was allocated to the 7th (Royal Fusiliers) Regiment of Foot. From 1824, he served with the Grenadier Guards
and from 1826 was private secretary in the office of the Commander-in-Chief of the Forces
. Verney was meant to accompany Lord William Bentinck
on his appointment as Governor-General of India
, however during the journey was left ill in Rio de Janeiro
, where he recovered, later hunting with natives in the Pampas and the Andes
. His voyage home led him around the Cape of Good Hope
on board a ship, commanded by Sir Michael Seymour and in 1829, he arrived in England again. Verney was promoted to major in 1831 and was transferred to the Royal Buckinghamshire Militia (King's Own)
in 1844, retiring two years later.
Verney entered the British House of Commons
in 1832, sitting as a Member of Parliament
(MP) for Buckingham
until 1841. After a six-year break, he was successful for Bedford
and represented it until 1852. Verney was again returned for Buckingham in 1857 until the 1874 general election
. In 1880, he was reelected for the constituency for the following five years. In 1885, in his final year in the House, Verney was sworn a Privy Counsellor.
Verney was nominated a Deputy Lieutenant
of Buckinghamshire and a Justice of the Peace
for the same county. He was a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society
and one of the founders of the Royal Agricultural Society
. Verney acted as chairman of the Buckinghamshire Railway Company
and deputy chairman of the Aylesbury and Buckingham Railway Company
.
, and had by her four sons and three daughters. After her death in 1857, Verney remarried secondly Frances Parthenope Nightingale
, daughter of William Edward Nightingale and sister of Florence Nightingale
, on 24 June 1858. He died, aged 92 and was succeeded in the baronetcy by his oldest son Edmund. His youngest son Frederick
was a diplomat and politician and father of Sir Ralph Verney, 1st Baronet.
and Verney Junction stations
in Buckinghamshire
. Mount Verney, Sir Harry Peak and Sir Harry Range in British Columbia
were also named after him.
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
, DL
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
, JP
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
(8 December 1801 – 12 February 1894) was an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
soldier and Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
politician who sat in the House of Commons variously between 1832 and 1885.
Background and education
Born Harry Calvert, he was the oldest son of Sir Harry Calvert, 1st Baronet and his wife Caroline Hammersley, second daughter of Thomas Hammersley. He was first educated at Harrow SchoolHarrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
, then aged fifteen went to the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...
, as one of its first cadets. In 1826, he succeeded his father as baronet
Baronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
and in the following year, he changed his surname by Royal Licence to Verney to inherit the Verney family estates of his cousin Mary Verney, 1st Baroness Fermanagh. From 1831, he studied at Downing College, Cambridge
Downing College, Cambridge
Downing College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college was founded in 1800 and currently has around 650 students.- History :...
, befriending Adam Sedgwick
Adam Sedgwick
Adam Sedgwick was one of the founders of modern geology. He proposed the Devonian period of the geological timescale...
and William Whewell
William Whewell
William Whewell was an English polymath, scientist, Anglican priest, philosopher, theologian, and historian of science. He was Master of Trinity College, Cambridge.-Life and career:Whewell was born in Lancaster...
.
Career
Verney joined the British Army for the 31st (Huntingdonshire) Regiment of Foot31st (Huntingdonshire) Regiment of Foot
The 31st Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army formed in 1702 and amalgamated into The East Surrey Regiment in 1881.-Predecessor regiment:...
in 1819 and was sent to the country's legation in the German states Württemberg
Württemberg
Württemberg , formerly known as Wirtemberg or Wurtemberg, is an area and a former state in southwestern Germany, including parts of the regions Swabia and Franconia....
and Baden
Baden
Baden is a historical state on the east bank of the Rhine in the southwest of Germany, now the western part of the Baden-Württemberg of Germany....
, learning during this time German, French and Italian. He returned to England in the following year and was allocated to the 7th (Royal Fusiliers) Regiment of Foot. From 1824, he served with the Grenadier Guards
Grenadier Guards
The Grenadier Guards is an infantry regiment of the British Army. It is the most senior regiment of the Guards Division and, as such, is the most senior regiment of infantry. It is not, however, the most senior regiment of the Army, this position being attributed to the Life Guards...
and from 1826 was private secretary in the office of the Commander-in-Chief of the Forces
Commander-in-Chief of the Forces
The Commander-in-Chief of the Forces, or just the Commander-in-Chief , was the professional head of the British Army from 1660 until 1904, when the office was replaced by the Chief of the General Staff, soon to become Chief of the Imperial General Staff . From 1870, the C-in-C was subordinate to...
. Verney was meant to accompany Lord William Bentinck
Lord William Bentinck
Lieutenant-General Lord William Henry Cavendish-Bentinck GCB, GCH, PC , known as Lord William Bentinck, was a British soldier and statesman...
on his appointment as Governor-General of India
Governor-General of India
The Governor-General of India was the head of the British administration in India, and later, after Indian independence, the representative of the monarch and de facto head of state. The office was created in 1773, with the title of Governor-General of the Presidency of Fort William...
, however during the journey was left ill in Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, where he recovered, later hunting with natives in the Pampas and the Andes
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
. His voyage home led him around the Cape of Good Hope
Cape of Good Hope
The Cape of Good Hope is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula, South Africa.There is a misconception that the Cape of Good Hope is the southern tip of Africa, because it was once believed to be the dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. In fact, the...
on board a ship, commanded by Sir Michael Seymour and in 1829, he arrived in England again. Verney was promoted to major in 1831 and was transferred to the Royal Buckinghamshire Militia (King's Own)
Royal Buckinghamshire Militia (King's Own)
The Royal Buckinghamshire Militia was a militia regiment in the United Kingdom from 1758 to 1881, when it was amalgamated into The Oxfordshire Light Infantry....
in 1844, retiring two years later.
Verney entered the British House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
in 1832, sitting as a Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for Buckingham
Buckingham (UK Parliament constituency)
Buckingham is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
until 1841. After a six-year break, he was successful for Bedford
Bedford (UK Parliament constituency)
Bedford is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The seat was established in its current form in 1997, restoring a centuries old name. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post system of election...
and represented it until 1852. Verney was again returned for Buckingham in 1857 until the 1874 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1874
-Seats summary:-References:* F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* British Electoral Facts 1832-1999, compiled and edited by Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher *...
. In 1880, he was reelected for the constituency for the following five years. In 1885, in his final year in the House, Verney was sworn a Privy Counsellor.
Verney was nominated a Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
of Buckinghamshire and a Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
for the same county. He was a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society
Royal Geographical Society
The Royal Geographical Society is a British learned society founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical sciences...
and one of the founders of the Royal Agricultural Society
Royal Agricultural Society
The Royal Agricultural Society of England was established in the United Kingdom in 1838 with the motto "Practice with Science". The RASE aim is to promote the scientific development of agriculture. The society received its Royal Charter from Queen Victoria in 1840.From its early days the society...
. Verney acted as chairman of the Buckinghamshire Railway Company
Buckinghamshire Railway
The Buckinghamshire Railway was a railway company in Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, England that constructed railway lines connecting Bletchley, Banbury and Oxford...
and deputy chairman of the Aylesbury and Buckingham Railway Company
Aylesbury and Buckingham Railway
The Aylesbury and Buckingham Railway was an English railway located in Buckinghamshire, England operating between Aylesbury and Verney Junction.-History:...
.
Family
On 30 June 1835, he married firstly Eliza Hope, daughter of Admiral Sir George Johnstone HopeGeorge Johnstone Hope
Rear-Admiral Sir George Johnstone Hope, KCB was a British naval officer, who served with distinction in the Royal Navy throughout the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, including service at the Battle of Trafalgar...
, and had by her four sons and three daughters. After her death in 1857, Verney remarried secondly Frances Parthenope Nightingale
Frances Parthenope Verney
Frances Parthenope Verney was an English writer and journalist.-Life:She was the daughter of William Edward Nightingale, and the elder sister of Florence Nightingale. She became the second wife of Harry Verney, 2nd Baronet Frances Parthenope Verney (19 April 1819 – 12 May 1890) was an...
, daughter of William Edward Nightingale and sister of Florence Nightingale
Florence Nightingale
Florence Nightingale OM, RRC was a celebrated English nurse, writer and statistician. She came to prominence for her pioneering work in nursing during the Crimean War, where she tended to wounded soldiers. She was dubbed "The Lady with the Lamp" after her habit of making rounds at night...
, on 24 June 1858. He died, aged 92 and was succeeded in the baronetcy by his oldest son Edmund. His youngest son Frederick
Frederick William Verney
Frederick William Verney was a younger son of the long-established Verney family in Buckinghamshire. He became a Church of England clergyman, a barrister, a Siamese diplomat, and a Liberal Party politician, serving as a member of both the Buckinghamshire and London County Councils, and from 1906...
was a diplomat and politician and father of Sir Ralph Verney, 1st Baronet.
Legacy
Verney was unusual in the sense that he gave his name to two railway stations in England, namely CalvertCalvert railway station
Calvert was a railway station at Calvert, Buckinghamshire on the former Great Central Main Line between Manchester Piccadilly and London Marylebone. The station was opened in 1899 and closed in 1964...
and Verney Junction stations
Verney Junction railway station
Verney Junction was a railway station at a junction serving four directions between 1868 and 1968 and from where excursions as far as Ramsgate could be booked...
in Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
. Mount Verney, Sir Harry Peak and Sir Harry Range in British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
were also named after him.