Family and Education

b. 13 June 1739, 1st s. of Hon. John Chichester of Abinger, Surr. (2nd s. of Arthur, 3rd Earl of Donegall), by Elizabeth, da. of Sir Richard Newdigate, 3rd Bt., of Arbury, Warws. educ. Westminster 1748; Trinity, Oxf. 1757. m. (1) 16 Nov. 1761, Lady Anne Hamilton (d. 11 Nov. 1780), da. of James, 5th Duke of Hamilton [S], 3s. 4da.; (2) 24 Oct. 1788, Charlotte (d. 28 Sept. 1789), da. of Conway Spencer of Tremary, co. Down, wid. of Thomas Moore of Barne, co. Tipperary, s.p., (3) 12 Oct. 1790, Barbara, da. of Rev. Luke Godfrey, rector of Middleton, co. Cork, s.p. suc. uncle as 5th Earl of Donegall [I], 30 Sept. 1757; cr. Baron Fisherwick [GB] 3 July 1790; Mq. of Donegall [I] 4 July 1791.

Offices Held

Biography

Donegall was returned for Malmesbury by his friend Lord Suffolk, and at first followed Suffolk and the Grenville group. He voted against Administration over Wilkes on 2 Feb. 1769, but not in any other division of 1769; and again with Opposition on 8 and 25 Jan. 1770. On 13 Feb. 1771 he voted against the Spanish convention, although Suffolk had by then gone over to Administration. In Robinson’s first survey on the royal marriage bill, Donegall is marked ‘contra, present’; in the second ‘pro, present’. He voted against Administration on the naval captains’ petition, 9 Feb. 1773, and Grenville’s Election Act, 25 Feb. 1774, but on both divisions was classed as basically friendly to Administration. He is not known to have spoken in the House, and did not stand in 1774.

He died 5 Jan. 1799.

Ref Volumes: 1754-1790

Author: John Brooke

Notes