Davina Ingrams, 18th Baroness Darcy de Knayth
Encyclopedia
Davina Marcia Herbert Ingrams, 18th Baroness Darcy de Knayth, DBE
(10 July 1938 – 24 February 2008) was a crossbench member of the House of Lords
, continuing to sit after the passing of the House of Lords Act 1999
as an elected peer.
(also known as Viscount Clive, his courtesy title
as son of the Earl of Powis
). The barony had been created in 1332 for John Darcy
, and revived twice after falling into abeyance
. Through her grandfather, George Herbert, 4th Earl of Powis, she was descended from Robert Clive, 1st Baron Clive
. She inherited the barony in 1943, when her father was killed in action during the Second World War, flying a Mosquito
as a squadron leader
in the RAF
.
She was educated at St Mary's School, Wantage
, and later in Florence
and the Sorbonne
. She married publisher Rupert Ingrams (brother of the Private Eye
editor Richard Ingrams
) in 1960. They had three children.
She and her husband were involved in a serious accident in 1964, returning from a dance, when their car hit a tree. Her husband was killed outright, and she was paralysed from the neck down. She was treated at Stoke Mandeville Hospital
, and later recovered some movement in her upper body. She became a wheelchair
user, and took up table tennis and archery. She was a leading voice in the campaign that led to the creation of the Paralympic Games
.
She won a gold medal in swimming at the 1968 Summer Paralympics
in Israel
, and a bronze for table tennis
at the 1972 Games
in West Germany
. She was one of the first 16 hereditary peeresses admitted to the House of Lords in 1963, and spoke frequently on disability matters after taking up her seat in 1969. She was made a Dame (DBE
) for her services to disabled people in 1996.
After the House of Lords Act 1999
removed most of the hereditary peer
s from the House of Lords, she was selected as one of the select representative peers, coming top of the ballot of top of crossbench peers.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(10 July 1938 – 24 February 2008) was a crossbench member of the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
, continuing to sit after the passing of the House of Lords Act 1999
House of Lords Act 1999
The House of Lords Act 1999 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that was given Royal Assent on 11 November 1999. The Act reformed the House of Lords, one of the chambers of Parliament. For centuries, the House of Lords had included several hundred members who inherited their seats;...
as an elected peer.
Biography
Ingrams was the daughter of Mervyn Herbert, 17th Baron Darcy de KnaythMervyn Herbert, Viscount Clive
Mervyn Herbert, 17th Baron Darcy de Knayth, styled Viscount Clive was a British peer and soldier.Styled the Hon. Mervyn Herbert from birth, he was the second son of George Herbert, 4th Earl of Powis and his wife Violet, suo jure 16th Baroness Darcy de Knayth...
(also known as Viscount Clive, his courtesy title
Courtesy title
A courtesy title is a form of address in systems of nobility used for children, former wives and other close relatives of a peer. These styles are used 'by courtesy' in the sense that the relatives do not themselves hold substantive titles...
as son of the Earl of Powis
Earl of Powis
Earl of Powis is a title that has been created three times. The first creation came in the Peerage of England in 1674 in favour of William Herbert, 3rd Baron Powis. In 1687 he was further honoured when he was made Marquess of Powis...
). The barony had been created in 1332 for John Darcy
John Darcy, 1st Baron Darcy de Knayth
John Darcy, 1st Baron Darcy de Knayth , was an English peer.He was born circa 1280, probably at Knaith, Lincolnshire, the son of Roger de Darcy and Isabel D’Aton....
, and revived twice after falling into abeyance
Abeyance
Abeyance is a state of expectancy in respect of property, titles or office, when the right to them is not vested in any one person, but awaits the appearance or determination of the true owner. In law, the term abeyance can only be applied to such future estates as have not yet vested or possibly...
. Through her grandfather, George Herbert, 4th Earl of Powis, she was descended from Robert Clive, 1st Baron Clive
Robert Clive, 1st Baron Clive
Major-General Robert Clive, 1st Baron Clive, KB , also known as Clive of India, was a British officer who established the military and political supremacy of the East India Company in Bengal. He is credited with securing India, and the wealth that followed, for the British crown...
. She inherited the barony in 1943, when her father was killed in action during the Second World War, flying a Mosquito
De Havilland Mosquito
The de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito was a British multi-role combat aircraft that served during the Second World War and the postwar era. It was known affectionately as the "Mossie" to its crews and was also nicknamed "The Wooden Wonder"...
as a squadron leader
Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
in the RAF
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
.
She was educated at St Mary's School, Wantage
St Mary's School, Wantage
St Mary's School was an Anglican private girls' school located in Wantage, Oxfordshire, England, between 1873 and 2007, when it merged with Heathfield School to become Heathfield St Mary's. The school was popular with the British aristocracy.-History:...
, and later in Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
and the Sorbonne
Sorbonne
The Sorbonne is an edifice of the Latin Quarter, in Paris, France, which has been the historical house of the former University of Paris...
. She married publisher Rupert Ingrams (brother of the Private Eye
Private Eye
Private Eye is a fortnightly British satirical and current affairs magazine, edited by Ian Hislop.Since its first publication in 1961, Private Eye has been a prominent critic and lampooner of public figures and entities that it deemed guilty of any of the sins of incompetence, inefficiency,...
editor Richard Ingrams
Richard Ingrams
Richard Ingrams is an English journalist, a co-founder and second editor of the British satirical magazine Private Eye, and now editor of The Oldie magazine.-Career:...
) in 1960. They had three children.
She and her husband were involved in a serious accident in 1964, returning from a dance, when their car hit a tree. Her husband was killed outright, and she was paralysed from the neck down. She was treated at Stoke Mandeville Hospital
Stoke Mandeville Hospital
Stoke Mandeville Hospital is a large National Health Service hospital within Aylesbury Urban Area to the south of the town of Aylesbury, near the village of Stoke Mandeville in Buckinghamshire...
, and later recovered some movement in her upper body. She became a wheelchair
Wheelchair
A wheelchair is a chair with wheels, designed to be a replacement for walking. The device comes in variations where it is propelled by motors or by the seated occupant turning the rear wheels by hand. Often there are handles behind the seat for someone else to do the pushing...
user, and took up table tennis and archery. She was a leading voice in the campaign that led to the creation of the Paralympic Games
Paralympic Games
The Paralympic Games are a major international multi-sport event where athletes with a physical disability compete; this includes athletes with mobility disabilities, amputations, blindness, and Cerebral Palsy. There are Winter and Summer Paralympic Games, which are held immediately following their...
.
She won a gold medal in swimming at the 1968 Summer Paralympics
1968 Summer Paralympics
The 1968 Summer Paralympics were the third Paralympic Games to be held. Organised under the guidance of the International Stoke Mandeville Games Federation , they were known as the 17th International Stoke Mandeville Games at the time...
in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, and a bronze for table tennis
Table tennis
Table tennis, also known as ping-pong, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight, hollow ball back and forth using table tennis rackets. The game takes place on a hard table divided by a net...
at the 1972 Games
1972 Summer Paralympics
The 1972 Summer Paralympics, the fourth edition of the Paralympic Games, were held in Heidelberg, West Germany, from August 2 to 11, 1972.- Sports :As with previous Paralympics, the 1972 games were intended for wheelchair athletes only...
in West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
. She was one of the first 16 hereditary peeresses admitted to the House of Lords in 1963, and spoke frequently on disability matters after taking up her seat in 1969. She was made a Dame (DBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
) for her services to disabled people in 1996.
After the House of Lords Act 1999
House of Lords Act 1999
The House of Lords Act 1999 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that was given Royal Assent on 11 November 1999. The Act reformed the House of Lords, one of the chambers of Parliament. For centuries, the House of Lords had included several hundred members who inherited their seats;...
removed most of the hereditary peer
Hereditary peer
Hereditary peers form part of the Peerage in the United Kingdom. There are over seven hundred peers who hold titles that may be inherited. Formerly, most of them were entitled to sit in the House of Lords, but since the House of Lords Act 1999 only ninety-two are permitted to do so...
s from the House of Lords, she was selected as one of the select representative peers, coming top of the ballot of top of crossbench peers.