Arthur Chichester, 1st Marquess of Donegall

The Marquess of Donegall.
Barbara, Marchioness of Donegall

Arthur Chichester, 1st Marquess of Donegall (13 June 1739 – 5 January 1799), 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 was educated at Trinity College, Oxford before succeeding his uncle in 1757 as fifth Earl of Donegall.

Political career

After taking his seat in the Irish House of Lords in 1765, Donegall served at Westminster as Member of Parliament for Malmesbury (1768–1774). As a means of securing his support for the Government in the Irish House of Commons, he was in 1790 created Baron Fisherwick, of Fisherwick in the County of Stafford, in the Peerage of Great Britain. The following year he was also created Marquess of Donegall and Earl of Belfast in the Peerage of Ireland.

Family

Lord Donegall married three times. On 11 September 1761, he married Lady Anne Hamilton, daughter of James Hamilton, 5th Duke of Hamilton. By her he had one son:

In October 1790 he married Barbara, daughter of the Rev. Dr. Luke Godfrey,[1] who was his third wife.

Lord Donegall died, aged 59, at his London home in St James's Square, Westminster.

References

Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by
Thomas Conolly
The Earl Tylney
Member of Parliament for Malmesbury
with Thomas Howard

1768–1774
Succeeded by
Charles Fox
William Strahan
Peerage of Ireland
Preceded by
Arthur Chichester
Earl of Donegall
1757–1799
Succeeded by
George Chichester
New title Marquess of Donegall
1791–1799
Baron Fisherwick
1790–1799