Background
Harrowby was born in London, the son of Dudley Ryder, 1st Earl of Harrowby, and Lady Susan (d 1838), daughter of Granville Leveson-Gower, 1st Marquess of Stafford.
Harrowby was born in London, the son of Dudley Ryder, 1st Earl of Harrowby, and Lady Susan (d 1838), daughter of Granville Leveson-Gower, 1st Marquess of Stafford.
He was educated at Christ Church, Oxford.
He held office under Lord Palmerston as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster in 1855 and as Lord Privy Seal between 1855 and 1857. He served as a Lord of the Admiralty in 1827 and as Secretary to the Board of Control under Lord Grey between 1830 and 1831. He remained out of office for a long time, but in 1855, eight years after he had succeeded his father as Earl of Harrowby, he was appointed Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster by Lord Palmerston, becoming a Privy Counsellor at the same time.
In a few months he was transferred to the office of Lord Privy Seal, a position which he resigned in 1857.
He was made a Knight of the Garter in 1859. Lord Harrowby married Lady Frances, daughter of John Stuart, 1st Marquess of Bute, in 1823.
She died in March 1859. Harrowby remained a widower until his death at Sandon Hall on 19 November 1882, aged 84.
Royal Society; 6th United Kingdom Parliament. 7th United Kingdom Parliament. 8th United Kingdom Parliament.
9th United Kingdom Parliament.
10th United Kingdom Parliament. 11th United Kingdom Parliament.
12th United Kingdom Parliament. 13th United Kingdom Parliament.
14th United Kingdom Parliament]
Harrowby was elected Member of Parliament for Tiverton in 1819, a seat he held until 1831 before switching to represent Liverpool until 1847.
Harrowby was also three times President of the Royal Statistical Society (1840–1842, 1849–1851, 1855–1857), chairman of the Maynooth commission and a member of other important royal commissions.