Somerset de Chair
Encyclopedia
Somerset Struben de Chair DSC
(22 August 1911 - 5 January 1995) was a British author, politician and poet.
, KCB, KCMG, MVO. Married first, 8 October 1932, Thelma Grace Arbuthnot (1911–1974) by whom he had Rodney Somerset de Chair and Peter Dudley de Chair.
His second wife, Carmen Appleton, gave him Rory de Chair and Somerset Carlo de Chair. Marriage dissolved in 1958, allowing Somerset to marry his third wife, a Mrs Margaret Patricia Manlove (née Field-Hart) who bore him Teresa Loraine Aphrodite de Chair (who married Sir Toby Clarke, 6th Baronet
). That marriage was dissolved in 1974, and in the same year and at the age of sixty-three he married his fourth wife, then 39 years old, Lady Juliet Wentworth-Fitzwilliam
, only child of Peter Wentworth-FitzWilliam, 8th Earl FitzWilliam
, who had been married to his friend Victor Hervey, 6th Marquess of Bristol
at the time of their initially adulterous relationship. Somerset and Lady Juliet had a daughter, Helena de Chair, who married Jacob Rees-Mogg
.
(MP) for Paddington South
1950-51. He was one of the Conservatives who voted against the Government at the crucial Norway Debate
in May 1940 which brought Winston Churchill
into office.
He was educated at The King's School, Parramatta in New South Wales between 1923-30, before attending Balliol College, Oxford
.
During World War Two, he was commissioned as a 2nd Lt with the Royal Horse Guards
. He later served with 4th Cavalry Brigade
, and was wounded.
He was a Parliamentary Private Secretary 1942-44.
He wrote historical nonfiction, a number of now largely forgotten novels, one play, three collections of poetry, as well as a number of works of autobiography.
and leased Blickling Hall
from the Marquess of Lothian
. He owned St Osyth's Priory in Essex
from 1954 until his death in 1995 and also bought Bourne Park in Kent
with his last wife, Lady Juliet Wentworth-Fitzwilliam
.
Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Service Cross is the third level military decoration awarded to officers, and other ranks, of the British Armed Forces, Royal Fleet Auxiliary and British Merchant Navy and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries.The DSC, which may be awarded posthumously, is...
(22 August 1911 - 5 January 1995) was a British author, politician and poet.
Early and personal life
Younger son of Admiral Sir Dudley Rawson Stratford de ChairDudley de Chair
Admiral Sir Dudley Rawson Stratford de Chair, KCB, KCMG, KBE, MVO was a Naval Officer and Governor. De Chair joined the Royal Navy from the age of 16 and served in the Anglo-Egyptian War and later as an Admiral in the First World War. He was appointed as Governor of New South Wales in 1923...
, KCB, KCMG, MVO. Married first, 8 October 1932, Thelma Grace Arbuthnot (1911–1974) by whom he had Rodney Somerset de Chair and Peter Dudley de Chair.
His second wife, Carmen Appleton, gave him Rory de Chair and Somerset Carlo de Chair. Marriage dissolved in 1958, allowing Somerset to marry his third wife, a Mrs Margaret Patricia Manlove (née Field-Hart) who bore him Teresa Loraine Aphrodite de Chair (who married Sir Toby Clarke, 6th Baronet
Sir Toby Clarke, 6th Baronet
Sir Charles Mansfield Tobias Clarke, 6th Baronet , known as Sir Toby Clarke since 1973 after succeeding to the baronetcy upon the death of his father....
). That marriage was dissolved in 1974, and in the same year and at the age of sixty-three he married his fourth wife, then 39 years old, Lady Juliet Wentworth-Fitzwilliam
Lady Juliet Tadgell
Lady Juliet Tadgell , previously the Marchioness of Bristol, is a British heiress, race horse breeder and landowner...
, only child of Peter Wentworth-FitzWilliam, 8th Earl FitzWilliam
Peter Wentworth-FitzWilliam, 8th Earl FitzWilliam
William Henry Lawrence Peter Wentworth-Fitzwilliam, 8th Earl Fitzwilliam, DSO , styled Viscount Milton before 1943, was a British soldier and aristocrat.-Biography:...
, who had been married to his friend Victor Hervey, 6th Marquess of Bristol
Victor Hervey, 6th Marquess of Bristol
Victor Frederick Cochrane Hervey, 6th Marquess of Bristol , was a British aristocrat and businessman. He is notable for having served a jail term for jewel theft...
at the time of their initially adulterous relationship. Somerset and Lady Juliet had a daughter, Helena de Chair, who married Jacob Rees-Mogg
Jacob Rees-Mogg
The Hon. Jacob William Rees-Mogg is a British Conservative Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for North East Somerset since the 2010 general election....
.
Career
He was Conservative MP for South West Norfolk between 1935-45, losing his seat by 53 votes. He was Member of ParliamentMember of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for Paddington South
Paddington South (UK Parliament constituency)
Paddington South was a Parliamentary constituency in London which returned one Member of Parliament. It was a compact urban area, but predominantly wealthy, and was most famously represented by Lord Randolph Churchill during the latter part of his career....
1950-51. He was one of the Conservatives who voted against the Government at the crucial Norway Debate
Norway Debate
The Norway Debate, sometimes called the Narvik Debate, was a famous debate in the British House of Commons that took place in May 1940. It led to the formation of a widely-based National Government led by Winston Churchill which was to govern Britain until the end of World War II in Europe...
in May 1940 which brought Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
into office.
He was educated at The King's School, Parramatta in New South Wales between 1923-30, before attending Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College , founded in 1263, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England but founded by a family with strong Scottish connections....
.
During World War Two, he was commissioned as a 2nd Lt with the Royal Horse Guards
Royal Horse Guards
The Royal Horse Guards was a cavalry regiment of the British Army, part of the Household Cavalry.Founded August 1650 in Newcastle Upon Tyne by Sir Arthur Haselrig on the orders of Oliver Cromwell as the Regiment of Cuirassiers, the regiment became the Earl of Oxford's Regiment during the reign of...
. He later served with 4th Cavalry Brigade
4th Cavalry Brigade (United Kingdom)
The 4th Cavalry Brigade was formation of Regiments of the British Army during the First World War, which was formed again in 1939 from Yeomanry Regiments for service during the Second World War...
, and was wounded.
He was a Parliamentary Private Secretary 1942-44.
He wrote historical nonfiction, a number of now largely forgotten novels, one play, three collections of poetry, as well as a number of works of autobiography.
Houses and Art
De Chair was known for his extravagant taste and lived in a series of large country houses. He lived between 1944-9 at Chilham CastleChilham Castle
Chilham Castle is a manor house and keep in the village of Chilham, between Ashford and Canterbury in the county of Kent, England. The polygonal Norman keep of the Castle, the oldest building in the village, dates from 1174; still inhabited, it was said to have been built for King Henry II...
and leased Blickling Hall
Blickling Hall
Blickling Hall is a stately home in the village of Blickling north of Aylsham in Norfolk, England, that has been in the care of the National Trust since 1940.-History:...
from the Marquess of Lothian
Marquess of Lothian
Marquess of Lothian is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1701 for Robert Kerr, 4th Earl of Lothian. The Marquess of Lothian holds the subsidiary titles of Earl of Lothian , Earl of Lothian , Earl of Ancram , Earl of Ancram , Viscount of Briene , Lord Newbattle ,...
. He owned St Osyth's Priory in Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
from 1954 until his death in 1995 and also bought Bourne Park in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
with his last wife, Lady Juliet Wentworth-Fitzwilliam
Lady Juliet Tadgell
Lady Juliet Tadgell , previously the Marchioness of Bristol, is a British heiress, race horse breeder and landowner...
.