Richard Hely-Hutchinson, 6th Earl of Donoughmore
Encyclopedia
Richard Walter Hely-Hutchinson, 6th Earl of Donoughmore KP, PC (2 March 1875 – 19 October 1948), styled Viscount Suirdale until 1900, was an Irish peer and Conservative
politician. He served as Under-Secretary of State for War
under Arthur Balfour
between 1903 and 1905.
, and Frances Isabella Stephens, daughter of General William Frazer Stephens. He was educated at Eton
.
. He served as Under-Secretary of State for War
from 1903 to 1905 in the Unionist administration headed by Arthur Balfour
. From 1911 he was Lord Chairman of Committees of the House of Lords
. He was elected Grandmaster of the Grand Lodge of Ireland
in 1913, a post he held until his death. In 1916 he was part of the Mesopotamia Commission of Inquiry
. He was made a Knight of the Order of St Patrick in 1916 and sworn of the Privy Council
in 1918.
In 1921 Lord Donoughmore was elected one of the fifteen Peers of the Realm resident in the South (elected by a constituency of all Southern Ireland peers) to be a member of the Senate of Southern Ireland under the Government of Ireland Act 1920
. The Senate convened in 1921 but was boycotted by Irish nationalists. Donoughmore did not attend its first meeting. In 1929 he chaired the Committee on Ministers' Powers following Viscount Hewart
's controversial book, The New Despotism
, in which Hewart claimed that the rule of law
in Britain was being undermined by the legislature. The book was very controversial and led to the Committee. The Report rejected Hewart's arguments.
, on 21 December 1901. She died on 22 February 1944. Lord Donoughmore died in October 1948, aged 73, and was succeeded in the earldom by his son, John
.
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician. He served as Under-Secretary of State for War
Under-Secretary of State for War
The position of Under-Secretary of State for War was a British government position, first applied to Evan Nepean . In 1801 the offices for War and the Colonies were merged and the post became that of Under-Secretary of State for War and the Colonies...
under Arthur Balfour
Arthur Balfour
Arthur James Balfour, 1st Earl of Balfour, KG, OM, PC, DL was a British Conservative politician and statesman...
between 1903 and 1905.
Background and education
Donoughmore was the son of John Hely-Hutchinson, 5th Earl of DonoughmoreJohn Hely-Hutchinson, 5th Earl of Donoughmore
John Luke George Hely-Hutchinson, 5th Earl of Donoughmore KCMG, JP, DL , styled Viscount Suirdale between 1851 and 1866, was an Irish peer....
, and Frances Isabella Stephens, daughter of General William Frazer Stephens. He was educated at Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
.
Political career
Donoughmore succeeded his father in the earldom in 1900 and took his seat in the House of LordsHouse 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....
. He served as Under-Secretary of State for War
Under-Secretary of State for War
The position of Under-Secretary of State for War was a British government position, first applied to Evan Nepean . In 1801 the offices for War and the Colonies were merged and the post became that of Under-Secretary of State for War and the Colonies...
from 1903 to 1905 in the Unionist administration headed by Arthur Balfour
Arthur Balfour
Arthur James Balfour, 1st Earl of Balfour, KG, OM, PC, DL was a British Conservative politician and statesman...
. From 1911 he was Lord Chairman of Committees 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....
. He was elected 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...
in 1913, a post he held until his death. In 1916 he was part of the Mesopotamia Commission of Inquiry
Special Commissions (Dardanelles and Mesopotamia) Act 1916
The Special Commissions Act 1916 was set up to investigate the World War I operations in the Dardanelles Campaign and the Mesopotamian campaign....
. He was made a Knight of the Order of St Patrick in 1916 and sworn of the Privy Council
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
in 1918.
In 1921 Lord Donoughmore was elected one of the fifteen Peers of the Realm resident in the South (elected by a constituency of all Southern Ireland peers) to be a member of the Senate of Southern Ireland under the Government of Ireland Act 1920
Government of Ireland Act 1920
The Government of Ireland Act 1920 was the Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which partitioned Ireland. The Act's long title was "An Act to provide for the better government of Ireland"; it is also known as the Fourth Home Rule Bill or as the Fourth Home Rule Act.The Act was intended...
. The Senate convened in 1921 but was boycotted by Irish nationalists. Donoughmore did not attend its first meeting. In 1929 he chaired the Committee on Ministers' Powers following Viscount Hewart
Gordon Hewart, 1st Viscount Hewart
Gordon Hewart, 1st Viscount Hewart, PC was a politician and judge in the United Kingdom.-Background and education:...
's controversial book, The New Despotism
The New Despotism
The New Despotism was a book authored by The Rt. Hon. Lord Hewart of Bury, Lord Chief Justice of England and published in 1929 by Ernest Benn Limited. Hewart described this "new despotism" as "to subordinate Parliament, to evade the Courts, and to render the will, or the caprice, of the Executive...
, in which Hewart claimed that the rule of law
Rule of law
The rule of law, sometimes called supremacy of law, is a legal maxim that says that governmental decisions should be made by applying known principles or laws with minimal discretion in their application...
in Britain was being undermined by the legislature. The book was very controversial and led to the Committee. The Report rejected Hewart's arguments.
Family
Lord Donoughmore married Elena Maria Grace, daughter of Michael P. GraceMichael P. Grace
Michael Paul Grace was an international businessman who was a shareholder and Chairman of the Board of Directors of W. R. Grace and Company of New York City and of Grace Brothers & Co. Ltd...
, on 21 December 1901. She died on 22 February 1944. Lord Donoughmore died in October 1948, aged 73, and was succeeded in the earldom by his son, John
John Hely-Hutchinson, 7th Earl of Donoughmore
John Michael Henry Hely-Hutchinson, 7th Earl of Donoughmore , known until 1848 by his courtesy title Viscount Suirdale, was a British politician who later sat as a hereditary peer in the House of Lords....
.