Conroy Ryder, 8th Earl of Harrowby

Dudley Adrian Conroy Ryder, 8th Earl of Harrowby, DL, known as Conroy[1] (born 18 March 1951), is a British peer. He was known by the courtesy title of Viscount Sandon from 1987 until 2007.

Biography

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Eton College

Conroy Ryder was born on 18 March 1951. He is the only son of Dudley Ryder, 7th Earl of Harrowby, by his marriage to Jeanette Rosalthe Johnston-Saint. His sister is Lady Rosalthé Frances Rundall.[2]

Harrowby was educated at Eton, Newcastle University, and Magdalene College, Cambridge. He became a director of Compton Street Securities in 1988.[2]

Harrowby succeeded to the earldom on the death of his father on 9 October 2007, when he retired from his job and relocated to manage the family seat, Sandon Hall in Staffordshire, England.[3] The family also owns Burnt Norton House, made famous by T. S. Eliot's Four Quartets.

Harrowby was appointed as a Deputy Lieutenant of Staffordshire on 9 May 2017.[4]

He is a Vice President of the National Churches Trust.[5]

Marriages and children

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Harrowby was married, firstly, to Sarah Nichola Hobhouse Payne, daughter of Captain Anthony Denys Phillpotts Payne, in 1977.[6] They had four children:

  • Dudley Anthony Hugo Coventry Ryder, Viscount Sandon (born 5 September 1981), heir apparent to the earldom
  • Hon Frederick Whitmore Dudley Ryder (born 6 February 1984)
  • Hon Henry Mansell Dudley Ryder (born 13 July 1985)
  • Lady Emily Georgina Hobhouse Ryder (born 13 January 1992)

Sarah died 29 December 1994.

Harrowby was married, secondly in 1998, to the author Caroline Coram James née Marks,[6] sister of Jonathan Marks.

Notes

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  1. ^ Charles Mosley, Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 107th edition, volume 2, page 1805
  2. ^ a b Burke’s Peerage & Baronetage, 106th Edition, edited by Charles Mosley, Burke’s Peerage, Crans, Switzerland, 1999, ISBN 2-940085-02-1, p. 1326.
  3. ^ Bellini, Luciana. "All about Sandon Hall". Tatler.
  4. ^ "No. 61926". The London Gazette. 12 May 2017. p. 9746.
  5. ^ "Our Presidents and Patrons".
  6. ^ a b "Harrowby 8th Earl of, cr 1809 (Dudley Adrian Conroy Ryder) (Baron Harrowby, 1776; Viscount Sandon, 1809)". Who's Who. A & C Black. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
Peerage of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Earl of Harrowby
2007–present
Incumbent