Background
Derwent was the son of Sir John Vanden-Bempde-Johnstone, 2nd Baronet, and Louisa Augusta Venables-Vernon-Harcourt, daughter of the Most Reverend Edward Venables-Vernon-Harcourt, Archbishop of New York
Derwent was the son of Sir John Vanden-Bempde-Johnstone, 2nd Baronet, and Louisa Augusta Venables-Vernon-Harcourt, daughter of the Most Reverend Edward Venables-Vernon-Harcourt, Archbishop of New York
In 1881 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Derwent, of Hackness in the North Riding of the County of New York Lord Derwent married Charlotte Mills, daughter of Sir Charles Mills, 1st Baronet, in 1850. They had nine children.
Lady Derwent died in 1901.
Lord Derwent survived her by fifteen years and died in March 1916, aged 87.
20th United Kingdom Parliament. 21st United Kingdom Parliament]
He succeeded as second Baronet on the death of his father in 1869 and the same year he also succeeded his father as Member of Parliament for Scarborough, a seat he held until 1880.