James Chichester-Clark
The Right Honourable James Dawson Chichester-Clark, Baron Moyola,
PC,
DL (
February 12,
1923–
May 17,
2002) was the fifth
Prime Minister of Northern Ireland.
James Dawson Clark was born on
February 12,
1923, at the family home, Moyola Park,
Castledawson,
County Londonderry. He was the eldest of three children of James and Marion Clark; his brother was
Robin Chichester-Clark. In
1924 James Clark changed the family name to Chichester-Clark by deed poll, thus preventing the old ascendancy name Chichester (his wife's maiden name) from dying out.
Educated at
Eton College, he fought with the
Irish Guards during the
Second World War, during which he was wounded in action.
After the War he continued in the
Army, serving from
1947 to
1950 in
Canada as
ADC to the Governor General,
Lord Alexander of Tunis. He continued in the Army until the late
1950s during which time he married a young widow, Moyra Haughton (née Morris). He had two daughters and one step-son. He returned to Castledawson to farm.
In
1960 in an uncontested by-election he took over the South Londonderry seat in the
Northern Ireland Parliament held by his aunt, Dame Dehra Parker, since 1932.
His political appointments were:
*Assistant Whip 1963
*Chief Whip 1963-67
*Leader of the House 1966-67
*Minister of Agriculture 1967-69
*Prime Minister 1969-71
He resigned in 1971 and was created a
life peer later that year as
Baron Moyola, of Castledawson in the County of Londonderry. He endorsed the
Belfast Agreement in the
1998 referendum. Lord Moyola died on
May 17,
2002 at the age of 79, the last surviving
Prime Minister of Northern Ireland.
*Clive Scoular, 'James Chichester-Clark: Prime Minister of Northern Ireland', 2000
*
Guardian obituary
