Sir Harry Verney, 2nd Baronet

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.

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 School, 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.

Verney joined the British Army for the 31st (Huntingdonshire) Regiment of Foot 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.

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