Claude Wilton

Politician

1919 – 2008

92

Who was Claude Wilton?

Claude Wilton was a politician, solicitor and civil rights campaigner from Northern Ireland.

Wilton's father was James McElmunn Wilton, an Ulster Unionist Party politician and Mayor of Londonderry. Claude Wilton was born in Eden Terrace, Derry. He was educated at Foyle College and Trinity College, Dublin where he studied law for three years. After qualifying as a solicitor, he operated his own practice at Waterloo Place and, later, in Great James' Street in Derry. Wilton retained his Protestant faith, but channelled his activities into the Civil Rights Movement. He was elected as an officer of the Derry Citizen's Action Committee in late 1968 and called for Protestants in Derry to "stand up and be counted" in regard to the early campaign for civil rights in Northern Ireland. He worked as one of Derry's best-known solicitors and often represented the poor and underprivileged.

Wilton was disappointed at the decision of the Unionist Stormont government not to locate the province's second university in Derry. He regarded it as another example of government's neglect of a predominantly Republican and Catholic city. He decided to stand for election at the Northern Ireland general election, 1965 in the City of Londonderry seat for the Ulster Liberal Party. The seat was held by a Unionist, who had been unopposed in recent elections. Wilton polled 47% of the vote.

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Born
1919
Londonderry
Profession
Education
  • Foyle and Londonderry College
  • Trinity College, Dublin
Died
Sep 24, 2008

Submitted
on July 23, 2013

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