Harley’s was a remarkable career. Born with a name to conjure with, but a younger son, he became a wine merchant in London, an army contractor, a banker, Member for and father of the City, combining this from 1776 with the role of country gentleman, as representative of his ancestral interest in Herefordshire. In that county and in Radnorshire, where he was lord lieutenant during the minority of his nephew the 5th Earl of Oxford, he had much to say in public affairs. In 1790 he returned his son-in-law David Murray for New Radnor. He influenced the returns for Leominster. In his only contest since his election for the county, in 1796, he headed the poll. He possessed
an excellent understanding ... unshaken firmness and intrepidity of mind, equal (with the further aid of an hale and vigorous constitution) to the greatest exertions, and to the most trying emergencies, and with a peculiar calmness and evenness of temper of which those only can form an adequate idea who were occasionally eyewitnesses to its trials.
Gent. Mag. (1804), i. 1238-40.
Harley was a supporter of Pitt’s administration, but an unobtrusive one in his last two Parliaments. He occasionally applied to Pitt for patronage for his friends. In 1795 he was chairman for the election of William Lushington in the London by-election. Only one speech in the House is known, 3 Dec. 1795, when he presented the Aldersgate ward petition in favour of the bills against sedition. The week before he had been prominent in promoting the London businessmen’s declaration of support for government.
Harley’s character survived the test of material adversity in March 1797 when his banking house of Harley, Cameron & Co. of Mansion House Street, which had lately subscribed £50,000 to the loyalty loan, collapsed, Cameron’s East Indian shipping ventures having failed.
Harley died 1 Dec. 1804. His sons having predeceased him, he was succeeded by one of his daughters, Anne, dowager Lady Rodney, on behalf of whose son he had resigned his lord lieutenancy a few months before.