Harold Burge Robson

Hon. Harold Burge Robson (10 March 1888 – 13 October 1964) was a British soldier, barrister and Liberal Party politician.

Background

Robson was born the son of former Liberal Minister Lord Robson. He was educated at Eton and New College, Oxford.[1]

Professional career

Robson was called to the Bar in 1910.[2] He was awarded the Croix de Guerre during World War I.[3]

Political career

Robson was Liberal candidate at the 1923 Berwick-upon-Tweed by-election. This was a Liberal seat which had been won by a supporter of the Coalition Government in 1922. In the by-election, a Unionist won the seat. He was Liberal candidate again for the Berwick-upon-Tweed division at the 1923 General Election, when he came within 2,000 votes of defeating the Unionist. He fought the seat a third time in 1924 without success. He was Liberal candidate for the South Shields division at the 1929 General Election. This was a Liberal seat won previously due to the absence of a Unionist candidate. This time a Unionist intervened and he lost the seat to the Labour Party by just 40 votes. He did not stand for parliament again.[4] He was Vice-Chairman of Northumberland County Council from 1935 to 1937.[5]

Electoral record
1923 Berwick-upon-Tweed by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Mabel Philipson 12,000 55.0 n/a
Liberal Harold Burge Robson 5,858 26.8 -11.3
Labour Gilbert Oliver 3,966 18.2 n/a
Majority 6,142 28.1 +4.3
Turnout 21,824 74.9 +8.7
Unionist gain from National Liberal Swing n/a
General Election 1923: Berwick-upon-Tweed
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Mabel Philipson 10,636 48.0 -7.0
Liberal Harold Burge Robson 8,767 39.5 +12.7
Labour Edna Martha Penny 2,784 12.5 -5.7
Majority 1,869 8.5 -19.7
Turnout 73.4 -1.5
Unionist hold Swing -9.9
General Election 1924: Berwick-upon-Tweed
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Mabel Philipson 12,130 50.9 +2.9
Liberal Harold Burge Robson 8,165 34.3 -5.2
Labour J. Adams 3,521 14.8 +2.3
Majority 3,965 16.6 +8.1
Turnout 77.7 +4.3
Unionist hold Swing +4.0
General Election 1929: South Shields[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour James Chuter Ede 18,938 42.2 +0.1
Liberal Harold Burge Robson 18,898 42.0 -15.9
Unionist William Nunn 7,110 15.8 n/a
Majority 40 0.2 16.0
Turnout 72.9 -2.4
Labour gain from Liberal Swing +8.0

Other

Robson was a Member of the Committee of Management of the Royal National Life-Boat Institution from 1936 and Vice-President from 1955.[7]

See also

References
  1. ‘ROBSON, Hon. Harold (Burge)’, Who Was Who, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2016; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2014 ; online edn, April 2014 accessed 25 Feb 2016
  2. ‘ROBSON, Hon. Harold (Burge)’, Who Was Who, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2016; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2014 ; online edn, April 2014 accessed 25 Feb 2016
  3. "Berwick By-Election: Liberal Candidate Proposed", The Times, 8 May 1923, p. 11.
  4. British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1973, FWS Craig
  5. ‘ROBSON, Hon. Harold (Burge)’, Who Was Who, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2016; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2014 ; online edn, April 2014 accessed 25 Feb 2016
  6. British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949, FWS Craig
  7. ‘ROBSON, Hon. Harold (Burge)’, Who Was Who, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2016; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2014 ; online edn, April 2014 accessed 25 Feb 2016
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