James Chichester-Clark
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 The Rt Hon. James Chichester-Clark |
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| Rank | 5th Prime Minister |
|---|---|
| Term of Office | May 1, 1969 - March 23, 1971 |
| Predecessor | Terence O'Neill |
| Successor | Brian Faulkner |
| Date of Birth | February 12, 1923 |
| Date of Death | May 17, 2002 |
| Political Party | Ulster Unionist Party |
| Profession | Army officer |
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 and his sister, Penelope Hobhouse, the garden writer and historian. 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.
[edit] Reading
- Clive Scoular, 'James Chichester-Clark: Prime Minister of Northern Ireland', 2000
- Guardian obituary
| Political Offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by: William Kennedy Fitzsimmons |
Assistant Parliamentary Secretary at the Ministry of Finance (Assistant Chief Whip) Mar 1963–Apr 1963 |
Succeeded by: Isaac George Hawthorne |
| Preceded by: William Craig |
Parliamentary Secretary at the Ministry of Finance (Chief Whip) 1963–1966 |
Succeeded by: Roy Hamilton Bradford |
| Preceded by: Newly Created Office |
Leader of the House of Commons 1966–1967 |
Succeeded by: Brian McConnell |
| Preceded by: Harry West |
Minister of Agriculture 1967–1969 |
Succeeded by: Phelim Robert Hugh O'Neill |
| Preceded by: Terence O'Neill |
Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party 1969–1971 |
Succeeded by: Brian Faulkner |
| Prime Minister of Northern Ireland 1969–1971 |
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| Preceded by: Robert Wilson Porter |
Minister of Home Affairs 1970–1971 |
Succeeded by: Brian Faulkner |
