Sir Harry Verney, 2nd Baronet

Sir Harry Verney, 2nd Baronet PC, DL, JP (born Calvert; 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.

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 School, and then, aged fifteen, went to the Royal Military College, 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 1829, he studied at Downing College, Cambridge as a fellow-commoner, befriending Adam Sedgwick and William Whewell.

Career 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. 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.

Family On 30 June 1835, he married firstly Eliza Hope, daughter of Admiral Sir George Johnstone Hope, and had by her four sons and three daughters. After her death in 1857, Verney married Frances Parthenope Nightingale, daughter of William Edward Nightingale and sister of Florence Nightingale, on 24 June 1858. His youngest son Frederick 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 Calvert and Verney Junction stations in Buckinghamshire. Mount Verney, Sir Harry Peak and Sir Harry Range in British Columbia were also named after him. To this day, one of the campuses of the University of Buckingham (housing the Law School) is named "Verney Park".