Go To Section
VERNON, Granville Venables (1792-1879), of Grove Park, Notts.
Available from Boydell and Brewer
Biography Detail
Related Resources
Family and Education
b. 26 July 1792, 7th s. of Rt. Rev. the Hon. Edward Venables Vernon, abp. of York, and bro. of George Granville Venables Vernon*. educ. Westminster 1805-9; Christ Church, Oxf. 1810; L. Inn 1811, called 1817. m. (1) 22 Feb. 1814, Frances Julia (d. 5 Feb. 1844), da. and coh. of Anthony Hardolph Eyre* of Grove Park, 5s. 1da., (2) 22 Nov. 1845, Hon. Pyne Jessie Brand Trevor, da. of Henry Otway, 21st Baron Dacre, wid. of John Henry Cotterell, s.p. Took name of Harcourt before Vernon 15 Jan. 1831.
Offices Held
Chancellor, diocese of York 1818-68.
Biography
Vernon, like his brother George, was criticized for being conceited.1 Before being called to the bar, he entered Parliament on the 4th Duke of Newcastle’s interest. At that time his brother had deserted opposition in concert with their uncle the 2nd Marquess of Stafford, but Granville took a more independent line. He voted for Catholic relief, 30 May 1815. On 1 Mar. 1816 he took leave of absence for illness for two weeks, but on 18 Mar. (like his brother) appeared in the government minority on the property tax. On 20 Mar. he announced that having supported ministers on that issue, he could not swallow a rise in Admiralty salaries: he voted in the minority that day, and again a week later on the navy estimates. It was probably he, rather than George, who voted with opposition on the public revenue bill in June 1816. He certainly voted in the minority on the Admiralty salaries on 17 Feb. 1817,2 but appears to have voted the other way on Ridley’s motion to reduce the Admiralty board on 25 Feb. He supported Brougham’s motion for inquiry into industrial distress, 13 Mar. On 16 May either he or his brother spoke on the clergy residence bill. It may conceivably have been he, rather than George, who supported the suspension of habeas corpus by vote and speech, 23, 24 June 1817, with the presumption that he would be castigated for it. Unlike his brother, he voted with ministers in favour of the ducal marriage grant, 15 Apr. 1818.
Vernon voted for Mackintosh’s motion for a committee on the criminal law, 2 Mar. 1819, and two days later obtained leave to go the northern circuit. On 26 Apr. he obtained fresh leave to attend quarter sessions. He voted against Tierney’s censure motion, 18 May 1819; but joined opposition on the foreign enlistment bill, 3, 10, 21 June, speaking on the last occasion. He died 8 Dec. 1879.
