Ralph Verney, 2nd Earl Verney PC, FRS

Royal Society

The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...

 (1 February 1714 – 31 March 1791), styled Viscount Fermanagh between 1743 and 1752, was a British politician.

Background

A member of the Verney family, Lord Verney was the son of Ralph Verney, 1st Earl Verney

Ralph Verney, 1st Earl Verney

Ralph Verney, 1st Earl Verney , styled The Honourable from 1703 to 1717 and subsequently known as The Viscount Fermanagh until 1742, was an Irish peer and Tory politician.-Background:...

, of Claydon House

Claydon House

Claydon House is a country house in the Aylesbury Vale, Buckinghamshire, England, close to the village of Middle Claydon. It was built between 1757 and 1771 and is now owned by the National Trust....

, 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....

, and Catherine, daughter of Henry Paschall.

Political career

Verney succeeded his father in the earldom in 1752. However, as this was an Irish peerage

Peerage of Ireland

The Peerage of Ireland is the term used for those titles of nobility created by the English and later British monarchs of Ireland in their capacity as Lord or King of Ireland. The creation of such titles came to an end in the 19th century. The ranks of the Irish peerage are Duke, Marquess, Earl,...

, it did not entitle him to a seat in the House of Lords

House of Lords

The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....

 (although it did entitle him to a seat in the Irish House of Lords

Irish House of Lords

The Irish House of Lords was the upper house of the Parliament of Ireland that existed from mediaeval times until 1800. It was abolished along with the Irish House of Commons by the Act of Union.-Function:...

). He was instead elected to the 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...

 for Wendover

Wendover (UK Parliament constituency)

Wendover was a borough constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1832...

 in 1753, a seat he held until 1761. He later represented Carmarthen

Carmarthen (UK Parliament constituency)

Carmarthen was the name of a parliamentary constituency in Wales which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom between 1542 and 1997...

 between 1761 and 1768 and Buckinghamshire

Buckinghamshire (UK Parliament constituency)

Buckinghamshire is a former United Kingdom Parliamentary constituency. It was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1885.Its most prominent member was...

 between 1768 and 1784 and 1790 and 1791. In 1765 he was sworn of the Privy Council.

Family

Lord Verney married Mary, daughter of Henry Herring, in 1740. They had no children. She died in January 1791, aged 74. Lord Verney only survived her by two months and died in March of the same year, aged 77. On his death all his titles became extinct.