LLOYD, Hardress (?1781-1860), of Gloster, King’s Co.

Lloyd’s father represented King’s County in the Irish parliament and he himself was returned for it in 1807. This was with the decisive support of his brother-in-law Lord Rosse, into whose shoes he stepped, and with the countenance of government. He was expected to support them, provided they did not alienate Rosse; but he could not be counted on to attend. ‘Indispensable business’ detained him in Ireland until at least March 1808 and then the chief secretary appealed to Rosse for Lloyd’s attendance ‘towards the close of the session’.Wellingtom mss, Rosse to Wellesley, 21 Apr., Wellesley to Thompson, 5 May 1807, to Rosse, 29 Mar. 1808; Wellington Supp. Despatches, v. 473, 477; Dublin SPO 536/264/2, Lloyd to Trail, 31 Jan. 1808. He was twice in the minorities critical of the Duke of York’s conduct, 17 Mar. 1809. He turned up to vote with ministers on the address, 23 Jan. 1810, and against the Scheldt inquiry, 30 Mar.: opposition were ‘doubtful’ of him at that time. On 1 Jan. 1811 he was in the government minority on the Regency, but on 11 June 1811 was teller for, and on 23 June 1812 in the minority for, the reform of Irish tithes. He seems to have voted in the minority on the Household bill, 27 Jan. 1812, and against Catholic relief on 22 June. No speech by him is known.

Noting his ‘faint support’, the government feared that he might desert them like his colleague Bernard in 1813, when Lloyd voted for Catholic claims on 2 Mar. and 24 May. They hoped to humour this ‘lukewarm and discontented friend’ by attending to a patronage request. He was in the minority against the expulsion of Lord Cochrane, 5 July 1814, and again on Catholic relief, 9 May 1817, but voted with government in critical divisions, 8 May 1815, 6 and 24 May 1816 and 7 and 25 Feb. 1817. The chief secretary regarded him in June 1817 as a friend of ministers.Add. 40185, f. 101; 40282, f. 151; 40283, f. 86; 40293, f. 135. He did not seek re-election in 1818. Lloyd died in 1860.