Son of Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery fondly remembered

A keen Donegal social historian has described the death of British politician and businessman as the “end of one Moville era.”

Christine Carlin from Drung was referring to the passing of David Bernard Montgomery on January 8, 2020.

David Montgomery held the British title of 2nd Viscount Montgomery of Alamein.

He was the only son of Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery (pictured below) (November 17, 1887 to March 24, 1976) and the grandson of the Right Reverend Henry Hutchinson Montgomery (October 3, 1847 to November 25, 1932), former Anglican Bishop of Moville.

Christine said: “The death has occurred of Viscount David Montgomery of Alamein in his 91st year in January 2020 in London, the only son of Field Marshall Bernard Law Montgomery, celebrated WWII hero. His mother was Lady Betty Carver, a gifted artist and sculptor. David, like his grandfather, the Bishop, was a tall gentleman.

“David Montgomery’s link to Moville was his ancestral home of New Park, which was built by Samuel Law Montgomery, his great grandfather in 1774.

“The Montgomery family hailed from Killeter outside Castlederg in Co. Tyrone, where they had a 100 acre estate and Dunkineely in Co. Donegal. The family moved to London Street in Derry, where they were wine merchants.

“The Montgomery ancestors are buried in St Augustine’s graveyard on the city walls. Viscount David’s grandfather was Bishop Henry Montgomery and his grandmother was Lady Maud Montgomery. Bishop Henry met his wife when he was a curate in London. She was the daughter of his rector Cannon Fredrick William Farrar,."

The couple moved to New Park in Moville and had five children: Bernard, Sibyl, Una, Harold and Donald. Sadly, Sibyl died in childhood.

According to Christine, the couple were much loved in Moville.

She said: “The older generation still speak fondly about them. Bishop Henry Montgomery was prelate of the Order of St Michael and St George. He was also a senior Ecclesiastical Knight.

"Apparently, Bishop Henry was a ‘humble and saintly’ man. He ascribed his advancement in life to ‘fair ability, honesty, common sense and industry.” He once said: ‘It all comes down to this, if a man does his very best and is humble and lives in his work, things will happen. Be diligent and humble.’

“Bishop Montgomery and Lady Maud helped to build St Columba’s Church of Ireland in Moville. The Bishop died in 1932, his wife Maud in 1942. They are interred in the grounds of St Columba’s Church, the church they helped to build.

“The couple donated the public green in Moville to the people of the town, leaving written instructions it was never to be built on. Montgomery Terrace in Moville was named in their memory.

“I must mention Patsy Cavanagh, a gifted playwright and composer, who wrote a beautiful play called: ‘Moville: The Bishop and the Big House’ in 2014. I played the part of, Lady Grayson, a very elegant ancestor of the Montgomery’s who had returned from India."