Harrowby, Dudley Ryder, 1st earl of

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Harrowby, Dudley Ryder, 1st earl of (1762–1847). Harrowby's grandfather was an eminent lawyer, who became attorney-general and died just before his peerage took effect. Harrowby was elected on the family interest at Tiverton in 1784 at the age of 21, supported Pitt, and worked his way up the ladder. He was made under-secretary at the Foreign Office in 1789, served as paymaster 1791–1800, was foreign secretary 1804–5, and chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster 1805–6. He succeeded his father as 2nd baron in 1803 and was raised to the earldom in 1809. From 1812 until 1827 he served under Liverpool as lord president of the council and in December 1827 was offered the premiership, which he declined on grounds of ill-health. He played an important role during the reform crisis of 1831–2 as a leader of the waverers, who ultimately voted for the bill. Harrowby was more respected than liked. Greville, while admitting his integrity, found him irritable and dismissed him as ‘the top of the second-rate men’. His younger brother Richard held the family seat 1795–1830 and served as home secretary under Perceval.

J. A. Cannon

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