Robert Chorley, 1st Baron Chorley
Encyclopedia
Robert Samuel Theodore Chorley, 1st Baron Chorley QC
(29 May 1895-27 January 1978), was a British
legal scholar, public servant and Labour
politician.
Chorley was the son of Richard Fisher Chorley of Kendal
, Westmorland
, and his wife Annie Elizabeth (née Frost). He was educated at Kendal School and Queen's College, Oxford, and served in the Foreign Office and Ministry of Labour
during the First World War. He was called to the Bar, Inner Temple
, in 1920, and was a Tutor at the Law Society's School of Law from 1920 to 1924, a Lecturer in Commercial Law from 1924 to 1930, Sir Ernest Cassel Professor of Commercial and Industrial Law at the University of London
from 1930 to 1946 and Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of London from 1939 to 1942. During the Second World War Chorley served as a Principal at the Home Office
between 1940 and 1941, as Assistant-Secretary to the Minister of Home Security from 1941 to 1942 and as Deputy Regional Commissioner for the Civil Defence (North-West Region) from 1942 to 1944.
He stood unsuccessfully as a Labour candidate for Northwich
in July 1945, but in November of that year he was raised to the peerage as Baron Chorley, of Kendal in the County of Westmorland. He then served under Clement Attlee
as a Lord-in-Waiting
(government whip) in the House of Lords
between 1945 and 1950.
Lord Chorley married Katharine, daughter of Edward Hopkinson, in 1925. They had two sons and a daughter. He died in January 1978, aged 82, and was succeeded in the barony by his eldest son Roger
. Lady Chorley died in 1985.
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
(29 May 1895-27 January 1978), was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
legal scholar, public servant and Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
politician.
Chorley was the son of Richard Fisher Chorley of Kendal
Kendal
Kendal, anciently known as Kirkby in Kendal or Kirkby Kendal, is a market town and civil parish within the South Lakeland District of Cumbria, England...
, Westmorland
Westmorland
Westmorland is an area of North West England and one of the 39 historic counties of England. It formed an administrative county from 1889 to 1974, after which the entirety of the county was absorbed into the new county of Cumbria.-Early history:...
, and his wife Annie Elizabeth (née Frost). He was educated at Kendal School and Queen's College, Oxford, and served in the Foreign Office and Ministry of Labour
Ministry of Labour
The Ministry of Labour was a British civil service department established by the New Ministries and Secretaries Act 1916. It was renamed the Employment Department in 1988, and finally abolished in 1995...
during the First World War. He was called to the Bar, Inner Temple
Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
, in 1920, and was a Tutor at the Law Society's School of Law from 1920 to 1924, a Lecturer in Commercial Law from 1924 to 1930, Sir Ernest Cassel Professor of Commercial and Industrial Law at the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
from 1930 to 1946 and Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of London from 1939 to 1942. During the Second World War Chorley served as a Principal at the Home Office
Home Office
The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...
between 1940 and 1941, as Assistant-Secretary to the Minister of Home Security from 1941 to 1942 and as Deputy Regional Commissioner for the Civil Defence (North-West Region) from 1942 to 1944.
He stood unsuccessfully as a Labour candidate for Northwich
Northwich (UK Parliament constituency)
Northwich was a constituency in Cheshire which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 until it was abolished for the 1983 general election.- Members of Parliament :...
in July 1945, but in November of that year he was raised to the peerage as Baron Chorley, of Kendal in the County of Westmorland. He then served under Clement Attlee
Clement Attlee
Clement Richard Attlee, 1st Earl Attlee, KG, OM, CH, PC, FRS was a British Labour politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1945 to 1951, and as the Leader of the Labour Party from 1935 to 1955...
as a Lord-in-Waiting
Lord-in-Waiting
Most Lords in Waiting are Government whips in the House of Lords who are members of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. As members of the Royal Household their duties are nominal, though they are occasionally required to meet visiting political and state leaders on visits...
(government whip) in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
between 1945 and 1950.
Lord Chorley married Katharine, daughter of Edward Hopkinson, in 1925. They had two sons and a daughter. He died in January 1978, aged 82, and was succeeded in the barony by his eldest son Roger
Roger Chorley, 2nd Baron Chorley
Roger Richard Edward Chorley, 2nd Baron Chorley is a British chartered accountant and peer.The son of the 1st Baron Chorley was educated at Stowe School, Buckinghamshire, and Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, where graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in natural sciences and economics in 1953...
. Lady Chorley died in 1985.