Robert Verney, 17th Baron Willoughby de Broke


Robert John Verney, 17th Baron Willoughby de Broke and de jure 25th Baron Latimer of Compton Verney in Warwickshire, was a peer in the peerage of England.

Origins

He was born Robert John Barnard on October 7, 1809, the eldest son of Reverend Robert Barnard, Prebendary of Winchester, Rector of Lighthorne, Warwickshire, for 47 years, Vicar of Witney, Oxfordshire, 2nd son of Rev. Thomas Barnard , Rector of Withersfield in Suffolk and of Newmarket St Mary and Chaplain-in-Ordinary to King George III in 1762.
His mother was Hon. Louisa Verney, daughter of John Peyto-Verney, 14th Baron Willoughby de Broke of Compton Verney. Lighthorn was a manor held by the Verney family since 1667, and Lighthorn Church, rebuilt by the 14th Baron in 1772, contains their family burial vault. Reverend Robert Barnard's mural monument survives in Lighthorn Church, also inscribed to his widow Hon. Louisa Verney. The arms of Barnard were: Argent, a bear rampant sable muzzled or, today quartered by Lord Willoughby de Broke as Quarterly argent and gules, a bear sejant sable.

Career

In 1852 he inherited the titles 17th Baron Willoughby de Broke and 25th Baron Latimer on the death of his uncle Henry Peyto-Verney, 16th Baron Willoughby de Broke and in 1853 was obliged to change his surname name to his maternal name of Verney as a condition of inheriting the Verney estates.

Marriage and children

On October 25, 1842, he married Georgiana Jane Taylor, a daughter of Maj-Gen Thomas William Taylor, CB, of Ogwell House, West Ogwell in Devon, an officer of the Honourable East India Company at Madras, and later Lt-Gov of the Royal Military College, Sandhurst and a Groom of the Bedchamber to King William IV. Their children included:
His sister-in-law Ann Frances Taylor married Sir Walter Palk Carew, 8th Baronet of Haccombe in Devon.

Death & succession

He died on 5 June 1862 and was buried in the Verney vault in Lighthorne Church, Warwickshire, established by the 14th Baron. He was succeeded in the titles by his only son Col. Henry Verney, 18th Baron Willoughby de Broke.