Dermot Chichester, 7th Marquess of Donegall
Encyclopedia
Dermot Richard Claud Chichester, 7th Marquess of Donegall LVO
(18 April 1916 – 19 April 2007) was an Irish soldier, landowner and member of the House of Lords
.
Chichester was the second son of Arthur Chichester, 4th Baron Templemore
, whom he succeeded in the Barony. He was educated at Harrow
and Sandhurst
. He served in the Second World War as a captain
with the 7th Queen's Own Hussars
in Egypt. He was reported missing in action
and believed to have been killed, but had been captured in Libya in November 1942 during the North African Campaign
. He remained a prisoner of war
in Italy
until escaping in June 1944. He was promoted Major
that year, and retired from the British Army
in 1949, but served for several years with the Leicestershire Yeomanry
.
His elder brother, Arthur, having been killed in 1942 serving with the Coldstream Guards
, Chichester succeeded his father as 5th Baron Templemore
in 1953. In 1975, he also succeeded his distant cousin as 7th Marquess of Donegall
, being the descendant of Arthur Chichester, 1st Baron Templemore
(who in turn was descended from Sir Arthur Chichester a former Lord Deputy of Ireland
), grandson of Arthur Chichester, 1st Marquess of Donegall
. He also inherited other titles, and was Lord High Admiral of Lough Neagh.
He became a member of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms
in 1966, and was its Standard Bearer from 1984 to 1986. He was appointed LVO in 1986, and was for many years an active member of the Conservative Monday Club
. In 1981, he became Grandmaster of the Grand Lodge of Ireland
, a post he held until 1992. Chichester served also as master of the Wexford Hounds. He bred horses, including The Proclamation
, winner of the Punchestown champion hurdle in 1989, and Dunbrody Millar, winner of the Topham Trophy at Aintree
in 2007.
In 1946, he married Lady Josceline Gabrielle Legge (died 1995), daughter of William Legge, 7th Earl of Dartmouth
. They had a son, Patrick Chichester
(born 1952) and two daughters. The Marquess lived at the family home of Dunbrody Park, County Wexford
.
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
(18 April 1916 – 19 April 2007) was an Irish soldier, landowner and 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....
.
Chichester was the second son of Arthur Chichester, 4th Baron Templemore
Arthur Chichester, 4th Baron Templemore
Arthur Claud Spencer Chichester, 4th Baron Templemore, KCVO, OBE, DSO - was a British soldier and politician...
, whom he succeeded in the Barony. He was educated at Harrow
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
and Sandhurst
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...
. He served in the Second World War as a captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
with the 7th Queen's Own Hussars
7th Queen's Own Hussars
The 7th Queen's Own Hussars was a cavalry regiment in the British Army, first formed in 1690. It saw service for three centuries, before being amalgamated into The Queen's Own Hussars in 1958....
in Egypt. He was reported missing in action
Missing in action
Missing in action is a casualty Category assigned under the Status of Missing to armed services personnel who are reported missing during active service. They may have been killed, wounded, become a prisoner of war, or deserted. If deceased, neither their remains nor grave can be positively...
and believed to have been killed, but had been captured in Libya in November 1942 during the North African Campaign
North African campaign
During the Second World War, the North African Campaign took place in North Africa from 10 June 1940 to 13 May 1943. It included campaigns fought in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts and in Morocco and Algeria and Tunisia .The campaign was fought between the Allies and Axis powers, many of whom had...
. He remained a prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
until escaping in June 1944. He was promoted Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
that year, and retired from the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
in 1949, but served for several years with the Leicestershire Yeomanry
Leicestershire Yeomanry
The Leicestershire Yeomanry was a yeomanry regiment of the British Army, first raised in 1794 and again in 1803, which provided cavalry and mounted infantry in the South African War and First World War and provided two field artillery regiments of the Royal Artillery in the Second World War,...
.
His elder brother, Arthur, having been killed in 1942 serving with the Coldstream Guards
Coldstream Guards
Her Majesty's Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards, also known officially as the Coldstream Guards , is a regiment of the British Army, part of the Guards Division or Household Division....
, Chichester succeeded his father as 5th Baron Templemore
Baron Templemore
Baron Templemore, of Templemore in the County of Donegal, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom, since 1975 a subsidiary title of the marquessate of Donegall. It was created on 10 September 1831 for Arthur Chichester, Member of Parliament for Milborne Port and County Wexford...
in 1953. In 1975, he also succeeded his distant cousin as 7th Marquess of Donegall
Marquess of Donegall
Marquess of Donegall is a title in the Peerage of Ireland held by the head of the Chichester family, originally from Devon, England. Sir John Chichester sat as a Member of Parliament and was High Sheriff of Devon in 1557. One of his sons, Sir Arthur Chichester, was Lord Deputy of Ireland from 1604...
, being the descendant of Arthur Chichester, 1st Baron Templemore
Arthur Chichester, 1st Baron Templemore
Arthur Chichester, 1st Baron Templemore was an Anglo-Irish soldier, politician and courtier.Chichester was born in Westminster, London, the eldest son of Lord Spencer Chichester, second son of Arthur Chichester, 1st Marquess of Donegall. His mother was Lady Anne Harriet Stewart, daughter of John...
(who in turn was descended from Sir Arthur Chichester a former Lord Deputy of Ireland
Lord Deputy of Ireland
The Lord Deputy was the King's representative and head of the Irish executive under English rule, during the Lordship of Ireland and later the Kingdom of Ireland...
), grandson of Arthur Chichester, 1st Marquess of Donegall
Arthur Chichester, 1st Marquess of Donegall
Arthur Chichester, 1st Marquess of Donegall , known as Arthur Chichester until 1757 and as The Earl of Donegall between 1757 and 1791, was an Irish nobleman and politician.-Background and education:...
. He also inherited other titles, and was Lord High Admiral of Lough Neagh.
He became a member of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms
Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms
Her Majesty's Bodyguard of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms is a bodyguard to the British Monarch. Until 17 March 1834 they were known as The Honourable Band of Gentlemen Pensioners.-Formation:...
in 1966, and was its Standard Bearer from 1984 to 1986. He was appointed LVO in 1986, and was for many years an active member of the Conservative Monday Club
Conservative Monday Club
The Conservative Monday Club is a British pressure group "on the right-wing" of the Conservative Party.-Overview:...
. In 1981, he became Grandmaster of the Grand Lodge of Ireland
Grand Lodge of Ireland
The Grand Lodge of Ireland is the second most senior Grand Lodge of Freemasons in the world, and the oldest in continuous existence. Since no specific record of its foundation exists, 1725 is the year celebrated in Grand Lodge anniversaries, as the oldest reference to Grand Lodge of Ireland comes...
, a post he held until 1992. Chichester served also as master of the Wexford Hounds. He bred horses, including The Proclamation
The Proclamation
The Proclamation of 1809 refers to the political document of Serbian revolution which marked the foundation of modern Serbia. It was issued by Karadjordje in the newly appointed capital Belgrade, which represented the peak of the Serbian revolution...
, winner of the Punchestown champion hurdle in 1989, and Dunbrody Millar, winner of the Topham Trophy at Aintree
Aintree
Aintree is a village and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton, Merseyside. It lies between Walton and Maghull on the A59 road, about north of Liverpool city centre, in North West England....
in 2007.
In 1946, he married Lady Josceline Gabrielle Legge (died 1995), daughter of William Legge, 7th Earl of Dartmouth
William Legge, 7th Earl of Dartmouth
Lieutenant-Colonel William Legge, 7th Earl of Dartmouth, GCVO, TD was a British peer and Conservative politician, known from 1891–1936 as Viscount Lewisham....
. They had a son, Patrick Chichester
Patrick Chichester, Earl of Belfast
Patrick Chichester, 8th Marquess of Donegall , is the eldest son of the 7th Marquess of Donegall and succeeded his father in 2007. He was educated at Harrow School and the Royal Agricultural College. He is married to Caroline Philipson...
(born 1952) and two daughters. The Marquess lived at the family home of Dunbrody Park, County Wexford
County Wexford
County Wexford is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Wexford. In pre-Norman times it was part of the Kingdom of Uí Cheinnselaig, whose capital was at Ferns. Wexford County Council is the local...
.