George Verney

George Barton Verney, Lord Miffield was the owner of the Miffield Estate and lived at Miffield Hall until 1974. His official courtesy title was Esquire of Beckindale. George was born in the early 1910s and was the first son of Lord Miffield and his second wife Violet Verney. He had a half-brother, Ralph, who was a few years younger than George's mother. During the first world war, George didn't spend much time with his family, only with the nanny. George had another brother who fathered a son called Gerald Verney. George's sister Marjorie Proctor married and had a son Mark Proctor.
In 1973 George's marriage to his second wife Laura Verney was falling apart. He enrolled the help of Beckindale vicar Edward Ruskin. Laura embarked on an affair with Jack Sugden and they even had a secret holiday in London together. Shortly after, Jack besmirched George's name by selling a false story to the newspapers about him. George gave Jack a flogging with a hunting crop outside The Woolpack. Rumours spread that the attack was due to Jack seducing Laura but this was untrue, it was due to Jack defaming George. The matter was dropped as Jack saw the horse whipping as punishment. Laura left Beckindale, but returned when she heard George was planning to leave his fortune to his nephew Mark Proctor. Then George promised to give divorce and their marriage collapsed in 1974.
In September 1974, George attended a local hunt. After that, George decided to live in exile in Cannes. He died off-screen in 1978.
==Quotes==
"You're looking well Sam, very smart!" (first line)
----
"This has nothing to do with my wife. It has to do with my honor for which I shall be happy to answer in court." (to Jack Sugden)
== Trivia ==
* He was usually called Mr. Verney, not a Lord Miffield and he introduced himself by saying just his surname.
* It was rumoured that Seth Armstrong was George's illegitimate son. This rumour was finally disproved in 1991 when it was revealed that Seth had made it up.
*In 2005, Tom King mentioned the Verney family when he bought Home Farm.
* In 2014, Lawrence White mentioned that he knew George when they were younger.
== Book appearances ==
* Christmas at Emmerdale
==See also==
*Full list of appearances
Category:Emmerdale Farm characters
Category:1973 debuts
Category:1974 departures
Category:1978 deaths
Category:Residents of Home Farm
Category:Pre-1950 marriages
Category:1966 marriages
Category:Verney family
Category:Book characters
Category:Owners of Home Farm