Earl of Harrowby

Earl of Harrowby, in the County of Lincoln, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1809 for the prominent politician and former Foreign Secretary, Dudley Ryder, 2nd Baron Harrowby. He was made Viscount Sandon, of Sandon in the County of Stafford, at the same time, which title is used as a courtesy title by the heir apparent to the earldom. His son, the second Earl, held office under Lord Palmerston as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Lord Privy Seal. He was succeeded by his eldest son, the third Earl. He was a Conservative politician and notably served as President of the Board of Trade from 1878 to 1880.

His nephew, the fifth Earl (who succeeded his father in 1900), briefly represented Gravesend in the House of Commons as a Conservative and was also Lord Lieutenant of Staffordshire. His son, the sixth Earl, sat as Conservative Member of Parliament for Shrewsbury. As of 2007 the titles are held by the latter's eldest son, the seventh Earl, who succeeded in 1987.

The title of Baron Harrowby, of Harrowby in the County of Lincoln, was created in the Peerage of Great Britain in 1776 for Nathaniel Ryder, who had previously represented Tiverton in Parliament. He was the son of Sir Dudley Ryder, Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench from 1754 to 1756. Dudley Ryder was offered a peerage by King George II on 24 May 1756, but died the following day, before the patent was completed. Lord Harrowby was succeeded by his son, the aforementioned second Baron, who was created Earl of Harrowby in 1809. The Ryders derive their name and their coat-of-arms from the Ryther family of Ryther, Yorkshire. [ [http://books.google.com/books?id=oq0uAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA73&lpg=PA73&dq=%22dudley+ryder%22+ryther&source=web&ots=FYp4-Nk4LV&sig=a9ar9CnLPZY4PmT2nDwG3BAG8Fw&hl=en#PPA73,M1 Lower Wharfedale: Being a Complete Account of the History, Antiquities, and Scenery of the Picturesque Valley of the Wharfe, Harry Speight, 1902] ] [ [http://books.google.com/books?id=x1I5AAAAMAAJ&pg=PA717&lpg=PA717&dq=%22dudley+ryder%22+ryther&source=web&ots=GN5DF-mRV_&sig=89uKuO05AZAOxVClmK3p7vwOOfE&hl=en Ryder, Earl of Harrowby, Peerage of England, Arthur Collins, 1812] ]

Two other members of the family have also gained distinction. The Hon. Richard Ryder, second son of the first Baron Harrowby, was Home Secretary between 1809 and 1812. The Hon. Henry Ryder, youngest son of the first Baron, was Bishop of Gloucester from 1815 to 1824 and Bishop of Lichfield from 1824 to 1836.

The family seat is Sandon Hall, near Stafford, Staffordshire. The family also resides at Burnt Norton house, a house made famous by the T.S Eliot poem "Burnt Norton" as is found in the "Four Quartets".

Barons Harrowby (1776)

*Nathaniel Ryder, 1st Baron Harrowby (1735-1803)
*Dudley Ryder, 2nd Baron Harrowby (1762-1847) (created Earl of Harrowby in 1809)

Earls of Harrowby (1809)

*Dudley Ryder, 1st Earl of Harrowby (1762-1847)
*Dudley Ryder, 2nd Earl of Harrowby (1798-1882)
*Dudley Francis Stuart Ryder, 3rd Earl of Harrowby (1831-1900)
*Henry Dudley Ryder, 4th Earl of Harrowby (1836-1900)
*John Herbert Dudley Ryder, 5th Earl of Harrowby (1864-1956)
*Dudley Ryder, 6th Earl of Harrowby (1892-1987)
*Dudley Danvers Granville Coutts Ryder, 7th Earl of Harrowby (1922-2007)
*Dudley Adrian Conroy Ryder, 8th Earl of Harrowby (born 1951)

The Heir Apparent is the present holder's eldest son Hugo Ryder, Viscount Sandon.

References

*Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). "Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage" (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990.
* [http://www.angeltowns.com/town/peerage/ Leigh Rayment's Peerage Page]
* [http://website.lineone.net/~david.beamish/index.htm David Beamish's Peerage Page]