Arthur Chichester, 1st Marquess 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 English nobleman and politician in Ireland.

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. They had seven children:

• George Chichester, 2nd Marquess of Donegall (1769–1844)
• Hon. Arthur Chichester (3 May 1771 – 11 September 1788)
• Lord Spencer Stanley Chichester (1775–1819)
• Lady Elizabeth Juliana Chichester (d. 24 April 1787)
• Lady Charlotte Anne Chichester, died an infant
• Lady Henrietta Chichester, died an infant
• Lady Amelia Chichester, died an infant

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

Lord Donegall held on lease a country residence at Butley Priory, Suffolk. He died, aged 59, at his London home in St James's Square, Westminster.