James Despencer-Robertson

Who was James Despencer-Robertson?

Lieutenant-Colonel James Archibald St George Fitzwarenne-Despencer Robertson OBE, born James Archibald St George Robertson, was a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom.

He educated at Eton College and New College, Oxford. On the outbreak of the First World War in 1914 he was commissioned on the General List. He transferred to the Royal Welch Fusiliers in 1916, ending the war as a Brevet Major and being appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1919.

He was elected at the 1922 general election as Member of Parliament for the Islington West constituency in North London. However his small majority was not sustained at the 1923 general election, and was unsuccessful when he contested the seat again at the 1924 and 1929 general elections.

However, in 1931, he was elected as MP for the Salisbury constituency in Wiltshire, at a by-election on 11 March following the resignation of the Conservative MP Hugh Morrison. Despencer-Robertson held the seat until his death in 1942, aged 55. On the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939 he was commissioned on the General List and served until his death as Military Secretary at Headquarters Southern Command, reaching the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel.