Dermot Chichester, 7th Marquess of Donegall

Dermot Richard Claud Chichester, 7th Marquess of Donegall, LVO (born April 18, 1916) is the second son of Arthur Chichester, 4th Baron Templemore, whom he succeeded in the Barony. Educated at Harrow and Sandhurst, he served in the Second World War as a Captain with the 7th Queen's Own Hussars. Eventually reported missing in action and believed to have been killed, Chichester was in fact captured in November 1942 during the North African Campaign, and was a prisoner of war in Italy until escaping in June 1944. He was promoted Major that same year and retired from the British Army in 1949.

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, grandson of Arthur Chichester, 1st Marquess of Donegall.

He became a member of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms in 1966, and was later its Standard Bearer (1984 - 1986), for which he was appointed LVO, and was for many years an active member of the Conservative Monday Club.

In 1946 Lord Donegall married Lady Josceline Gabrielle Legg (died 1995), daughter of William Legge, 7th Earl of Dartmouth. They had a son, Patrick Chichester, Earl of Belfast, born 1952, and two daughters. The Marquess currently lives at the family home of Dunbrody Park, County Wexford.

[edit] References

Copping, Robert, The Monday Club - Crisis and After May 1975, page 25, published by the Current Affairs Information Service, Ilford, Essex, (P/B).


Preceded by Edward Chichester	Marquess of Donegall 1975–Present	Succeeded by Current incumbent
Preceded by Arthur Chichester	Baron Templemore 1953–Present	Succeeded by Current incumbent