Wikipedia

Nigel Dempster

Nigel Richard Patton Dempster(1 November 1941 inCalcutta,India– 12 July 2007 inHam,Surrey) was a British journalist. Best known for his celebritygossip columnsin newspapers, his work appeared in theDaily ExpressandDaily Mailand also inPrivate Eyemagazine. At his death, the editor of theDaily MailPaul Dacrewas reported as saying: "His scoops were the stuff of legend and his zest for life inexhaustible".

Career

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Dempster was the youngest of three children ofAustralianmining engineer Eric Richard Patton Dempster (1890–1980), who was 50 when Dempster was born, and hisAnglo-Indianwife Angela (née Stephens). Dempster's parents were resident in India at the time of their son's birth due to Eric Dempster's position as managing director of the Indian Copper Corporation and because his wife was an Indian nurse.[1]The Dempster family descended fromDumfriesshire-born boat-builder's son Captain James Maclean Dempster (1810–1890), who migrated from England toFremantleinWestern Australiain 1831, and his wife Ann Ellen Pratt. The Dempsters went into business in such varied fields as shipping, coastal trading, farming, whaling, fishing, and gold mining.[2]Eric Dempster's father, James Pratt Dempster (1837–1910), had married Mary Louisa, daughter of wealthy merchant James Murray Patton, in 1887. His cousin was the politician and judgeGeorge Patton, Lord Glenalmond.After his first wife's death, James Dempster married her sister, Charlotte; Eric was the second of their three sons.[3]

Nigel Dempster was educated atSherborne SchoolinDorset.After gaining three O-levels, he was expelled at 16[4]for being a "disruptive influence" after several misdemeanours.[5]

After short periods working in theCityand in public relations, Dempster joined theDaily Expressin 1963 and remained at the title until 1971. Here he was a contributor to the 'William Hickey' column, and used his contacts to gain stories about the aristocracy and other public figures. He was then on the staff of theDaily Mailfrom 1971 to 2003, where he was initially deputy toPaul Callan,but replaced him as the newspaper's diarist in 1973.[6]While Dempster was sometimes inaccurate, for instance dismissing suggestions thatPrince Charleswould marryLady Diana Spencer,he forecast in 1975 thatHarold Wilsonwould soon resign as Prime Minister,[7]three months before he did so in 1976. Supposedly this took everyone by surprise, but a contact of Dempster's had overheard theForeign SecretaryJames Callaghandiscussing it. Dempster also socialised withPrincess Margaret,and broke the news of her liaison withRoddy Llewellyn.[8]

Dempster also wrote forPrivate Eyefrom 1969, where he was responsible with Peter McKay for the "Grovel" column,[6][9]but left in 1985, shortly beforeIan HislopsucceededRichard Ingramsas editor. In "Grovel", Dempster was able to include material which could not be published elsewhere,[10]and the column was the location of the first articles in theEyeto whichJames Goldsmithtook exception. According to Hislop, Dempster fell out with the publication because he felt (in common with colleagueAuberon Waugh) that he should be editor instead of Hislop.[11]The differences allegedly began over an article making false accusations concerning theConservativepoliticianCecil Parkinson[4]and his new secretary (afterSara Keays) inEye606. The issue had to be reprinted (606A) after a court action with the offending and inaccurate item omitted. According to another source it ended when Dempster revealed thatRichard Ingrams' marriage was in serious difficulties;[7]Ingrams, an admirer, had previously called Dempster the "greatest living Englishman".[12]As a result of the differences withPrivate Eye,Dempster was nicknamed 'Nigel Pratt-Dumpster' whenever he was subsequently mentioned, and became a frequent target of parody by the magazine. After he left theEye,he began writing his column forThe Mail on Sundayin 1986, and thus it now appeared seven days a week.[6]

Reportedly a difficult colleague, Dempster missed out on scoops aboutPrincess Diana,and even boasted at one point that he had not met her, according to hisDaily Telegraphobituary.[4]He began to drink more, with several incidents involving police breathalysers,[4]and wrote less; his columns had actually been the work of four people rather than Dempster alone. In the view of observers, Dempster's column in his last years lost its bite,[4][5]and in his industry he was considered something of a relic: "by now a brand rather than a journalistic asset".[4]Paul Dacre, who succeeded SirDavid Englishas editor of theMailin 1992, reportedly held a low opinion of Dempster's column,[7]and revived the 'Ephraim Hardcastle' feature, under the responsibility of Dempster's old colleague on theEyePeter McKay, in 1996.

Dempster retired from editing theDaily MailandMail on Sundaydiaries bearing his name in 2003 and lived withLady Camilla Dempster,his ex-wife, who helped nurse him through the effects ofprogressive supranuclear palsy,[6]a nervous disorder with some characteristics ofParkinson's disease.He died at Ensleigh Lodge,Ham Common,on 12 July 2007 of progressive supranuclear palsy[13].[14][15]

Personal life

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In 1971 Dempster married Countess Emma Magdalen de Bendern, a daughter of CountJohn Gerard de Bendernand Lady Patricia Sybil Douglas. They divorced in 1974.

He subsequently marriedLady Camilla Osbornein 1977 (divorced 2002). She was the former wife of Robert John Brownlow Harris and was the daughter ofJohn Osborne, 11th Duke of Leedsand his second wife,Audrey Young.By his second marriage, Dempster had a stepdaughter, Emily Kate Godolphin Harris (born 1972), and a daughter, Louisa Beatrix Dempster (born 1979).

On 29 May 2004 Dempster converted to Roman Catholicism at theBrompton Oratoryin London. He had been taking instruction for seven months prior to this and was a regular member of the congregation. Dempster died on 12 July 2007. According to his biographer, Tim Willis: "At his funeral, the priest declared that Dempster might have to spend a million years in purgatory – and paused just long enough to shock the congregation, before adding that, in eternity, a million years would pass in the snap of a finger."[16]

Books

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  • H. R. H. Princess Margaret: A Life Unfulfilled,Macmillan/Quartet, 1981
  • Heiress: Story of Christina Onassis,Grove Press, 1989
  • Behind Palace Doors,Orion, 1993 (withPeter Evans (author))

References

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  1. ^"The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography".Oxford Dictionary of National Biography(online ed.). Oxford University Press. 2004.doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/98923.ISBN978-0-19-861412-8.(Subscription orUK public library membershiprequired.)
  2. ^Erickson, Rica (1978).The Dempsters.University of Western Australia Press. p. 1.
  3. ^Erickson, 1978, p. 230
  4. ^abcdef"Nigel Dempster"(obituary),The Daily Telegraph,13 July 2007. Retrieved on 13 July 2007.
  5. ^abDennis Barker (13 July 2007)."Nigel Dempster"(obituary).The Guardian.Retrieved on 13 July 2007.
  6. ^abcdLeapman, Michael (13 July 2007)."Nigel Dempster".The Independent.Archived fromthe originalon 1 May 2008.
  7. ^abc"Nigel Dempster"(obituary).The Times,13 July 2007. Retrieved on 13 July 2007.(subscription required)
  8. ^"Columnist Dempster dies aged 65",BBC News,12 July 2007. Retrieved on 13 July 2007.
  9. ^Dennis Griffiths (ed.)The Encyclopedia of the British Press 1422–1992,London and Basingstoke: Macmillan, 1992, p.198
  10. ^Jonathan Sale (5 November 2010),"Nigel Dempster and the Death of Discretion, By Tim Willis"(book review),Belfast Telegraph
  11. ^Ciar Byrne (23 October 2006)."Ian Hislop: My 20 years at the Eye".The Independent.London.Archivedfrom the original on 20 June 2022.Retrieved28 November2010.
  12. ^According to A. N. Wilson, Auberon Waugh coined the appellation. See Wilson's"Was Nigel Dempster our Proust?",Daily Telegraph,22 October 2007
  13. ^https:// dailyecho.co.uk/news/14962645.widower-writes-book-about-wifes-struggle-with-illness/
  14. ^"I have left my Ham home, Nigel Dempster reveals after divorce hearing".Richmond and Twickenham Times.5 November 2002.
  15. ^"Daily Mail's Nigel Dempster, doyen of newspaper diarists, dies aged 65".Evening Standard.12 July 2007.
  16. ^McEntee, John (14 July 2016).I'm Not One to Gossip, But...: Wicked Whispers, William Hickey and Forty Years of Blarney.Biteback.ISBN9781785901256.
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