Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Corry, Henry Thomas Lowry
CORRY, HENRY THOMAS LOWRY (1803–1873), politician, second son of the second Earl of Belmore, by Juliana, second daughter of Henry Thomas, second earl of Carrick, was born in Dublin on 9 March 1803. He was educated at Christ Church, Oxford, where he proceeded B.A. 1823. In 1825 he entered the House of Commons as conservative member for Tyrone county, which before and after the union had been represented by members of his family. His connection with this constituency, extending over forty-seven years, continued unbroken till his death, which took place at Bournemouth on 6 March 1873. He was comptroller of the household in Sir Robert Peel's first administration, 1834–5, and in the latter year was sworn a member of the privy council. On the return of his party to office he served as a junior lord of the admiralty, 1841–5, and latterly, 1845–6, as secretary to the same department. He was not included in the conservative government of 1852, but in Lord Derby's second administration, 1858–9, he resumed his last post at the admiralty. In 1866–7 he was vice-president of the council on education. The resignations of Lord Cranbourne, Lord Car narvon, and General Peel on the Reform Bill necessitating a reconstruction of the ministry, he was nominated March 1867 a first lord of the admiralty, with a seat in the cabinet; this office he held till the resignation of the government December 1868. Except on subjects connected with his department he took little part in debate, and he was a plain and simple rather than a brilliant speaker. As an administrator he had the confidence of both sides of the house, and his knowledge of naval affairs was unquestioned. He married, 6 March 1830, Harriet Anne, daughter of the sixth Earl of Shaftesbury, and by her had two sons and two daughters. His second son, Mr. Montagu Corry, private secretary to Lord Beaconsfield, was raised to the peerage (1880) as Baron Rowton. Corry was author of ‘Naval Promotion and Retirement, a letter to the Right Hon. S. P. Walpole,’ 1863, and of three ‘Speeches on the Navy,’ with preface by Sir J. C. D. Hay, Bart, M.P., 1872.
[Times; Standard, 7 March; Spectator, 8 March 1873.]