Dudley Ryder, 2nd Earl Of Harrowby

Dudley Ryder, 2nd Earl of Harrowby, was born on 19 May 1798 in London. He was the son of Dudley Ryder, 1st Earl of Harrowby, and Lady Susanna Leveson-Gower, who was the daughter of Granville Leveson-Gower, 1st Marquess of Stafford. His early education took place at Christ Church, Oxford.

In 1819, Ryder was commissioned as a lieutenant in the Stafford Troop of the Staffordshire Yeomanry and was promoted to captain on 26 March 1826. He resigned his military commission in March 1831.

Politically, he was elected as the Member of Parliament for Tiverton in 1819, a position he held until 1831. Following this, he served as the MP for Liverpool until 1847. During his tenure in Parliament, he served as a Lord of the Admiralty in 1827 and as Secretary to the Board of Control under Lord Grey from 1830 to 1831. Ryder also maintained a residence in Grosvenor Square, London.

In 1847, on the death of his father, Ryder succeeded to the earldom, becoming the 2nd Earl of Harrowby, and took his seat in the House of Lords. After a period without official office, he was appointed Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster in 1855 under Prime Minister Lord Palmerston, and was made a Privy Counsellor at that time. Later that same year, he was appointed Lord Privy Seal, a position he held until his resignation in 1858. He was invested as a Knight of the Garter in 1859.

Throughout his career, Ryder held several notable positions including President of the Royal Statistical Society during three separate terms (1840–1842, 1849–1851, and 1855–1857). He served as chairman of the Maynooth Commission and was a member of various royal commissions. He was recognized as a prominent defender of the Church of England.

Ryder was actively involved in animal welfare issues. He served as President of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) from 1861 until 1878. In 1864, he met Henry Bergh, who had visited England, and contributed to the development of the ASPCA's policies. His support extended to anti-vivisection causes, and his influence was acknowledged in Thomas Jackson's 1864 animal welfare book, "Our Dumb Companions," which was dedicated to him.

Ryder married Lady Frances Stuart, daughter of John Stuart, 1st Marquess of Bute, on 15 September 1823. The marriage produced two sons: Dudley Francis Stuart Ryder, who became the 3rd Earl of Harrowby, and Henry Dudley Ryder, the 4th Earl of Harrowby. Dudley Ryder, 3rd Earl of Harrowby, was born on 16 January 1831 and died on 26 March 1900. Henry Dudley Ryder was born on 3 May 1836 and died on 11 December 1900.

Lady Harrowby passed away in March 1859. Dudley Ryder, 2nd Earl of Harrowby, remained a widower until his death at Sandon Hall on 19 November 1882, aged 84. He was succeeded by his elder son, Dudley Ryder, as the 3rd Earl of Harrowby.