Sir Leonard Ropner, 1st Baronet
Encyclopedia
Colonel Sir Leonard Ropner, 1st Baronet, DL
MC
(26 February 1895 – 12 October 1977) was a Conservative Party
politician in the United Kingdom
.
Ropner was the son of William Ropner, third son of Sir Robert Ropner, 1st Baronet
. Leonard's grandfather, Sir Robert, had come from Germany in 1857 and founded a fleet of merchant ships; as MP he represented Stockton-on-Tees
.
He was educated at Oatlands, Harrogate and Harrow
, obtaining a scholarship to Clare College, Cambridge
and took a degree in Political Economy. He enlisted in 1914 in the Royal Artillery
and commanded a battery in France, being awarded the Military Cross
. He was a director of the family business of Sir R. Ropner and Co., the shipping company.
At the 1923 general election
, he was elected Member of Parliament
(MP) for Sedgefield
in County Durham
, with a majority of only 6 votes over the sitting Labour
MP John Herriotts
. Ropner held the seat at the 1924 general election
with a more comfortable majority of 1,416, but lost to Herriotts at the 1929 general election
.
He returned to the House of Commons
at the 1931 general election
, for the safe Conservative seat of Barkston Ash
in West Yorkshire
. He represented the constituency until he retired from Parliament
at the 1964 general election
, although his majority was cut to only 116 votes at the 1945 election
. In 1937 he served as High Sheriff of Durham.
In 1952 he was made a baronet of Thorp Perrow in the county of Yorkshire
. The Thorp Perrow estate near Bedale
had been bought by his father in 1927. Sir Leonard planted the 85 acres (343,983.1 m²) Thorp Perrow Arboretum
.
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
MC
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
(26 February 1895 – 12 October 1977) was a Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician in the United Kingdom
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...
.
Ropner was the son of William Ropner, third son of Sir Robert Ropner, 1st Baronet
Sir Robert Ropner, 1st Baronet
Sir Emil Hugo Oscar Robert Ropner, 1st Baronet 1838-1924, was a British shipbuilder, shipowner, and Conservative Member of Parliament. He was known simply as Robert Ropner....
. Leonard's grandfather, Sir Robert, had come from Germany in 1857 and founded a fleet of merchant ships; as MP he represented Stockton-on-Tees
Stockton-on-Tees (UK Parliament constituency)
Stockton-on-Tees is a former borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
.
He was educated at Oatlands, Harrogate and Harrow
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
, obtaining a scholarship to Clare College, Cambridge
Clare College, Cambridge
Clare College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1326, making it the second-oldest surviving college of the University after Peterhouse. Clare is famous for its chapel choir and for its gardens on "the Backs"...
and took a degree in Political Economy. He enlisted in 1914 in the Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
and commanded a battery in France, being awarded the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
. He was a director of the family business of Sir R. Ropner and Co., the shipping company.
At the 1923 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1923
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
, he was elected Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for Sedgefield
Sedgefield (UK Parliament constituency)
Sedgefield is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...
in County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
, with a majority of only 6 votes over the sitting 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...
MP John Herriotts
John Herriotts
John Herriotts was a Labour Party politician in the United Kingdom.He was elected as Member of Parliament for Sedgefield in County Durham at the 1922 general election, with a majority of only 689 votes...
. Ropner held the seat at the 1924 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1924
- Seats summary :- References :* F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* - External links :* * *...
with a more comfortable majority of 1,416, but lost to Herriotts at the 1929 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1929
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
.
He returned to the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
at the 1931 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1931
The United Kingdom general election on Tuesday 27 October 1931 was the last in the United Kingdom not held on a Thursday. It was also the last election, and the only one under universal suffrage, where one party received an absolute majority of the votes cast.The 1931 general election was the...
, for the safe Conservative seat of Barkston Ash
Barkston Ash (UK Parliament constituency)
Barkston Ash was a parliamentary constituency centred on the village of Barkston Ash in the West Riding of Yorkshire . It was represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 until 1983...
in West Yorkshire
West Riding of Yorkshire
The West Riding of Yorkshire is one of the three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the administrative county, County of York, West Riding , was based closely on the historic boundaries...
. He represented the constituency until he retired from Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
at the 1964 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1964
The United Kingdom general election of 1964 was held on 15 October 1964, more than five years after the preceding election, and thirteen years after the Conservative Party had retaken power...
, although his majority was cut to only 116 votes at the 1945 election
United Kingdom general election, 1945
The United Kingdom general election of 1945 was a general election held on 5 July 1945, with polls in some constituencies delayed until 12 July and in Nelson and Colne until 19 July, due to local wakes weeks. The results were counted and declared on 26 July, due in part to the time it took to...
. In 1937 he served as High Sheriff of Durham.
In 1952 he was made a baronet of Thorp Perrow in the county of Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
. The Thorp Perrow estate near Bedale
Bedale
Bedale is a market town and civil parish in the district of Hambleton, North Yorkshire, England. It lies north of Leeds, southwest of Middlesbrough, and south west of the county town of Northallerton...
had been bought by his father in 1927. Sir Leonard planted the 85 acres (343,983.1 m²) Thorp Perrow Arboretum
Thorp Perrow Arboretum
Thorp Perrow Arboretum is an woodland garden near Bedale in North Yorkshire, England.Originally known as Thorp, Helewise of Perrow, near Ditchingham in Norfolk, was an early landowner. This is comparable to Bedale, as the Stapletons there held Ingham, Norfolk.Thorp Perrow is considered to be one...
.