Douglas Hutchinson

Who is Douglas Hutchinson?

Douglas Hutchinson was a unionist politician in Northern Ireland.

Born in Richhill, County Armagh, Hutchinson worked as a fruit farmer. In 1953, he succeeded his father as an Ulster Unionist Party 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, and was prominent in the paramilitary Ulster Protestant Volunteers. 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.

Hutchinson resigned from the UUP in October 1969, stating that he disagreed with their policy of compromise. 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.

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