John Chapman

Who was John Chapman?

John Chapman DL, JP was a British Conservative Party politician who served for two three-year terms as the Member of Parliament for Great Grimsby.

Having unsuccessfully contested the 1859 general election in Salisbury, he was elected at a by-election in February 1862 as the MP for Great Grimsby. His majority was only 12 votes out of 1004, and an election petition was lodged against his victory, but dismissed; however he was defeated at the 1865 general election, when he also stood unsuccessfully in Salisbury. He did not contest either seat in 1868, but at the 1874 general election he stood only in Great Grimsby, where he won the seat. However, he died in office three years later, aged 67.

He was a Deputy Lieutenant of Cheshire and served as High Sheriff of Cheshire in 1855, and was Chairman and later director of the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway, and a director of the Bridgwater Navigation Company. Chapman died at his house at Hill End in Mottram where he was also lord of the manor of Hattersley and as such always supported the residents of the area including presenting them with a free library.