Jump to content

Douglas Hutchinson

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Douglas Hutchinson
Member of Armagh District Council
In office
15 May 1985 – 19 May 1993
Preceded byDistrict created
Succeeded byBrian Hutchinson
ConstituencyThe Orchard
In office
30 May 1973 – 15 May 1985
Preceded byCouncil created
Succeeded byDistrict abolished
ConstituencyArmagh Area A
Member of the Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention
for Armagh
In office
1975–1976
Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly
for Armagh
In office
1973–1974
Member of Armagh Rural District Council
In office
1953–1973
Personal details
Born1918
Richhill, County Armagh, Northern Ireland
DiedDecember 1995
Political partyDUP (1971 - 1995)
Ulster Unionist (until 1969)
Other political
affiliations
Ulster Protestant Action (before 1966)

Douglas Hutchinson (1918 – December 1995)[1] was a Northern Irish Unionist politician.

Background

[edit]

Born in Richhill, County Armagh, Hutchinson worked as a fruit farmer. In 1953, he succeeded his father as an Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) member of Armagh Rural District Council, holding his seat until its abolition in 1973. He was also active in Ian Paisley's Ulster Protestant Action,[2] and was prominent in the paramilitary Ulster Protestant Volunteers.[3] He served in the Ulster Special Constabulary, but left after being sentenced to one month's imprisonment for disrupting a civil rights march in Armagh in November 1968.[2]

Hutchinson resigned from the UUP in October 1969, stating that he disagreed with their policy of compromise.[4] Around this time, he was expelled from the Orange Order and from the Royal Black Preceptory for protesting against what he saw as support for appeasement among some of their leadership. In 1971, he was sentenced to six months in prison for taking part in a banned parade in Dungiven although, on appeal, this was commuted to a £60 fine.[2]

Hutchinson stood for the Democratic Unionist Party in Armagh at the 1973 Northern Ireland Assembly election, becoming the last candidate elected.[5] He was elected to Armagh District Council at the 1973 local election.[2] He was elected to the 1975 Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention with an increased vote, but failed to take a seat in the 1982 Assembly election.[5] He held his council seat until his retirement in 1993, when he was succeeded by his son, Brian.[6]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Elliott, Sydney; Flackes, William D. (1999). Conflict in Northern Ireland: An Encyclopedia. ABC-CLIO. p. 291. ISBN 9780874369892. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d Ted Nealon, Ireland: a parliamentary directory, 1973-1974, p.188
  3. ^ Lord Cameron, Disturbances in Northern Ireland: Report of the Commission appointed by the Governor of Northern Ireland
  4. ^ Richard Deutsch, Northern Ireland 1969-73 a chronology of events, p.131
  5. ^ a b Armagh 1973-1983, Northern Ireland Elections
  6. ^ "DUP man quits in teenage sex scandal", Belfast News Letter, 19 September 2002
Northern Ireland Assembly (1973)
New assembly Assembly Member for Armagh
1973–1974
Assembly abolished
Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention
New convention Member for Armagh
1975–1976
Convention dissolved