Lismore pays tribute as Duke of Devonshire dies, 84

LISMORE paid tribute yesterday to the Duke of Devonshire who has died aged 84.

The duke, who recently reflected that he had been “much too lucky” in life, died on Monday night at home in the his Chatsworth House, in the heart of Derbyshire’s Peak District National Park.

He had a long-standing marriage and a passion for racing and art. He was a minister in the British Conservative government of 1960-1964, led by his uncle Harold Macmillan.

Due to ill-health he had not visited his ancestral home in Lismore Castle since last year, and missed out on the 60th birthday party of his son Lord Hartington which was held at the castle last month.

Prince Charles and his partner Camilla Parker Bowles were among the guests.

Over the years the duke and duchess visited Lismore at least three times annually and were never slow to make acquaintance with the locals.

No one knew the duke and duchess better than Nora Willoughby whose shop at Main Street they visited every day when holidaying in the town.

“They were the most adorable couple you could ever meet and there wasn’t a day that they wouldn’t call to see me when they were staying at the castle,’’ she said yesterday.

“The duke would stay with me for ages when he called to the shop asking me about everyone and anything in the town. He was a humble man who really delighted in visiting Lismore,’’ she said.

She can also remember Lord Hartington, who is set to succeed his father as the next Duke of Devonshire, sitting on her shop counter as a boy and many times going off to back horses for him.

“They are a lovely family, totally down to earth, and I feel a great personal loss at the death of the duke,’’ she said.

Once asked by his estate workers when he planned to retire, the duke answered: “I’ve never worked a day in my life, so how can I retire?”