David Brewster LL.B., (1964 – 20 January 2021)[1][2] was a Northern Irish solicitor, unionist politician, community activist and historian from Limavady, County Londonderry.
David Brewster | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Northern Ireland Forum for East Londonderry | |
| In office 30 May 1996 – 25 April 1998 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1964 Limavady, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland |
| Died | January 20, 2021 |
| Political party | DUP (from 2003) |
| Other political affiliations | Ulster Unionist (before 2003) |
Background
editBrewster came to prominence in the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) as a close associate of David Trimble. Unenthusiastic about Jim Molyneaux's leadership of the party, Brewster backed Trimble's successful candidacy in the September 1995 leadership election.[3] Brewster was already the Secretary of the East Londonderry Association of the party, and Trimble assisted him in winning election as one of the party's honorary secretaries in 1996.[4] Brewster claimed that Trimble also offered to help him take over as the Member of Parliament for East Londonderry from William Ross, a leading figure in the UUP but a critic of Trimble. However, Brewster did not want the role,[4] and instead won a seat in the equivalent constituency on the Northern Ireland Forum.[5] He worked with Peter King and Dean Godson on the UUP's "Strand I" team at the talks which led to the Good Friday Agreement.[6]
Brewster was also active in the Orange Order and, like most UUP members who were prominent Orangemen, he became critical of Trimble's leadership, and opposed the Good Friday Agreement.[7] He joined the oppositionist Union First Group, and left the party in 2003 to join the rival Democratic Unionist Party.[4]
Outside politics, Brewster worked as a solicitor and had his own practice in his hometown of Limavady[8] and served as president of the Roe Valley Chamber of Commerce from 2013-2016. He was also vice chairman of Limavady United Football Club and President of the William F. Massey Foundation.[9][10]
References
edit- ^ "Funeral for much-admired lawyer David Brewster 'would seen town at a standstill in normal times'". www.newsletter.co.uk. Archived from the original on 17 July 2021. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
- ^ "Tributes paid to popular Limavady solicitor David Brewster who died suddenly". belfasttelegraph. Archived from the original on 4 March 2021. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
- ^ Graham Walker, A History of the Ulster Unionist Party, p.250
- ^ a b c Dean Godson, Himself Alone: David Trimble and the Ordeal of Unionism, p.184
- ^ "East Londonderry Archived 11 August 2018 at the Wayback Machine", Northern Ireland Elections
- ^ Dean Godson, Himself Alone: David Trimble and the Ordeal of Unionism, p.298
- ^ Henry Patterson and Eric P. Kaufmann, Unionism and Orangeism in Northern Ireland Since 1945, p.233
- ^ David R. Brewster, http://www.drbrewster.co.uk/ Archived 9 May 2021 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ George Jones and David Sharrock, "QCs in Ulster no longer pledge to serve Queen Archived 8 February 2017 at the Wayback Machine", The Daily Telegraph, 28 June 2000
- ^ "David Brewster". Twitter. Archived from the original on 25 February 2017. Retrieved 25 January 2016.