President Earl of Belmore Biography

Earl of Belmore, Somerset Lowry-Corry  (1835 – 1913)

[Image courtesy of the National Library of Australia]

President Agricultural Society of New South Wales 1871 - 1872

Born in London and educated at Eton and Cambridge, Somerset Lowry-Corry became the fourth Earl of Belmore aged 10 and inherited extensive Irish estates. As a representative peer for Ireland he served in parliament on various committees and was Under-Secretary for the Home department as well as briefly representing the Treasury in the House of Lords.

In 1868 Belmore arrived in Australia to take up the governorship of NSW. Shortly after he was present at the attempted shooting of Prince Alfred and dealt calmly with the situation and the potentially divisive aftermath. This measured thinking characterised his administration.

Belmore was keenly interested in agriculture and was an active member of council, joining in 1869. The Society’s new constitution allowed for non-colonists to stand for the presidency and he was elected unanimously. During his term the Society expanded its activities taking on many of the roles later fulfilled by government agricultural departments: gathering and disseminating information on pest and diseases, compiling stud and herd books, and distributing thermometers and rain gauges.

In 1872 Belmore returned to Britain to manage his estates and continue his parliamentary career which he concluded as a senior member of the Privy Council.

A full list of Presidents can be found here.