Sir Robert Chapman, 1st Baronet

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Colonel Sir Robert Chapman, 1st Baronet CB CMG CBE DSO (3 March 1880 – 31 July 1963) was a British soldier and Conservative Party politician.

Chapman was the son of Henry Chapman and Dora Gibson. He was elected at the 1931 general election as Member of Parliament (MP) for the Houghton-le-Spring constituency in County Durham. It was usually a safe seat for the Labour, but was fell to the Conservatives as one of their many gains that year, when Labour split over budgetary policy and Ramsay MacDonald formed a National Government.

Chapman was defeated by the Labour candidate at the 1935 general election, and did not stand for Parliament again. He was High Sheriff of Durham in 1940. In 1958 he was created a Baronet, of Cleadon in the County of Durham. Chapman married Hélène Paris, daughter of James George MacGowan, in 1909. He died in July 1963, aged 83, and was succeeded in the baronetcy by his eldest son Robert.

Chapman was commissioned into the 3rd Durham Royal Garrison Artillery, although his unit later transferred to the Royal Field Artillery (Territorial Force). He served in the First World War, reaching the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel and being awarded the Distinguished Service Order and appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George.

[edit] References

• Craig, F. W. S. [1969] (1983). British parliamentary election results 1918-1949, 3rd edition, Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN 0-900178-06-X. 
• Leigh Rayment's Peerage Page
• Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990.
• www.thepeerage.com

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Robert Richardson	Member of Parliament for Houghton-le-Spring 1931–1935	Succeeded by William Stewart
Baronetage of the United Kingdom
Preceded by New creation	Baronet (of Cleadon) 1958–1963	Succeeded by Robert MacGowan Chapman