Sir Harry Lloyd Verney (23 January 1872 – 28 February 1950) was a British

courtier A courtier () is a person who attends the royal court of a monarch or other royalty. The earliest historical examples of courtiers were part of the retinues of rulers. Historically the court was the centre of government as well as the officia ...

who served in successive

Royal Households of the United Kingdom The Royal Households of the United Kingdom are the collective departments that support members of the British royal family. Many members of the royal family who undertake public duties have separate households. They vary considerably in size, f ...

Early life

Verney was the second, but eldest surviving, son and heir of Col. George Hope Verney (who assumed the additional surname of Lloyd in 1888) of The Cedars,

Esher Esher ( ) is a town in the borough of Borough of Elmbridge, Elmbridge in Surrey, England, to the east of the River Mole, Surrey, River Mole. Esher is an outlying suburb of London, close to the London–Surrey border; with Esher Commons at its ...

and Harriet Julia Morforwyn Hinde. His father wrote the booklet ''Four-Handed Chess'' which was published in 1881. His father was the third son of Maj. Rt.-Hon.

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 ...

(who married twice, first to Eliza Hope, daughter of Adm. Sir George Johnstone Hope, and secondly Frances Parthenope Nightingale, daughter of William Edward Nightingale and sister of

Florence Nightingale Florence Nightingale (; 12 May 1820 – 13 August 1910) was an English Reform movement, social reformer, statistician and the founder of modern nursing. Nightingale came to prominence while serving as a manager and trainer of nurses during th ...

). Among his extended family were uncles

Sir Edmund Hope Verney, 3rd Baronet Sir Edmund Hope Verney, 3rd Baronet Royal Geographical Society, FRGS, Deputy lieutenant, DL, Justice of the peace, JP (6 April 1838 – 8 May 1910) was a British naval officer, author and Liberal Party (UK), Liberal politician who sat in the House ...

Frederick William Verney Frederick William Verney (26 February 1846 – 26 April 1913) was a younger son of the long-established Verney family of Middle Claydon, Buckinghamshire. He became a Church of England clergyman, a barrister, a Siamese diplomat, and a Liberal Part ...

, a diplomat and politician who was the father of his first cousin, Sir Ralph Verney, 1st Baronet. His maternal grandfather was Maj.-Gen. Charles Thomas Edward Hinde. He was educated at

Eton College Eton College ( ) is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school providing boarding school, boarding education for boys aged 13–18, in the small town of Eton, Berkshire, Eton, in Berkshire, in the United Kingdom. It has educated Prime Mini ...

Career

He held the office of

Gentleman Usher Gentleman Usher and Lady Usher are titles for some officers of the Royal Household of the United Kingdom. For a list of office-holders from the Restoration of the monarchy in 1660 up to the present day see List of Lady and Gentleman Ushers. Gen ...

and

Deputy Master of the Household The Master of the Household is the operational head (see Chief operating officer) of the "below stairs" elements of the Royal Households of the United Kingdom. The role has charge of the domestic staff, from the Royal Kitchens, the pages and footm ...

Edward VII Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until Death and state funeral of Edward VII, his death in 1910. The second child ...

between 1907 and 1910, and in 1909 was invested as a

Member of the Royal Victorian Order The Royal Victorian Order () is a dynastic order of knighthood established in 1896 by Queen Victoria. It recognises distinguished personal service to the monarch, members of the royal family, or to any viceroy or senior representative of the m ...

. Between 1911 and 1931 he was

Groom in Waiting The office of Groom in Waiting (sometimes hyphenated as Groom-in-Waiting) was a post in the Royal Household of the United Kingdom, which in earlier times was usually held by more than one person at a time – in the late Middle Ages there might be d ...

George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until Death and state funeral of George V, his death in 1936. George w ...

, and also served as Private Secretary to Queen Mary from 1919 to 1935. He was also Queen Mary's Treasurer from 1932 to 1935. Verney served as Extra Groom in Waiting to the

Prince of Wales Prince of Wales (, ; ) is a title traditionally given to the male heir apparent to the History of the English monarchy, English, and later, the British throne. The title originated with the Welsh rulers of Kingdom of Gwynedd, Gwynedd who, from ...

between 1931 and 1936, when he was made a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order. He was an Extra Groom in Waiting to

George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until Death and state funeral of George VI, his death in 1952 ...

from 1937 to his death in 1950. He was also an Officer of the

Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...

Personal life

He married Lady Joan Elizabeth Mary Cuffe (1877–1951), daughter of

Hamilton Cuffe, 5th Earl of Desart Hamilton John Agmondesham Cuffe, 5th Earl of Desart, (30 August 1848 – 4 November 1934) was an Irish peer and barrister. Early life Cuffe was the second son of John Cuffe, 3rd Earl of Desart and, his wife, Lady Elizabeth Campbell. He had an ...

and Lady Margaret Joan Lascelles (a daughter of

Henry Lascelles, 4th Earl of Harewood Henry may refer to: People and fictional characters * Henry (given name), including lists of people and fictional characters * Henry (surname) * Henry, a stage name of François-Louis Henry (1786–1855), French baritone Arts and entertainmen ...

), on 6 June 1889. Lady Joan was a Woman of the Bedchamber to HM Queen Mary. They shared an interest in embroidery. They lived at The Clochfaen in

Llanidloes Llanidloes () is a town and community on the A470 and B4518 roads in Powys, within the historic county boundaries of Montgomeryshire (), Wales. The population in 2011 was 2,929, of whom 15% could speak Welsh. It is the third largest settleme ...

and were the parents of four children, including Major-General

Gerald Lloyd-Verney Major General Gerald Harry George Lloyd-Verney, (10 July 1900 – 3 April 1957) was a senior British Army officer who commanded the 7th Armoured Division ("The Desert Rats") during the Second World War. He changed his name by Deed poll from Ge ...

DSO MVO. And Joan who married Hon Gustavus Hamilton- Russell son of 9th Viscount Boyne and Lt-Col Ulick Verney OBE who married in 1929 Esme Smith- Ryland. Verney died on 28 February 1950. His widow died 27 February 1951.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Verney, Harry Lloyd 1872 births 1950 deaths English courtiers Gentlemen Ushers Knights Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order People educated at Eton College Officers of the Legion of Honour Members of the British Royal Household