Sir Robert Ropner, 1st Baronet

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Sir Emil Hugo Oscar Robert Ropner, 1st Baronet c1863 - 1933, was a British shipbuilder, shipowner, and Conservative Member of Parliament. He was named after his father but preferred to be known simply as Robert Ropner jnr.

EHO Robert Ropner Snr. was born c1838 in Magdeburg, Prussia who became interested in seafaring from his readings, before he had even seen the sea. He emigrated to England as a stowaway. The roughness of the short passage cured him of a desire to be a seafarer, but did not eliminate his interest in shipping.^[1]He settled in England and worked for a coal export concern. Rather than continuing to charter colliers, he began to purchase them and in 1874 the Ropner Shipping Company was founded in Hartlepool. In a time of rising industrialization and increasing demand for coal, the trade grew quickly.^[1] In 1888 Sir Robert Ropner Bt. acquired a shipyard at Stockton-on-Tees in Yorkshire. Ropner established a successful shipbuilding firm, which built many trunk deck ships.^[2] No longer limited to hauling coal, Ropner also established a company to operate tramp steamers. Although the shipyard went into liquidation soon after what was then known as the Great War,^[3] the shipping company continued in shipping trades through both World Wars, despite heavy wartime losses of vessels.^[2]

From 1900 to 1910 Robert Ropner jnr. represented the constituency of Stockton-on-Tees in the House of Commons. In 1904 he was created Baronet of Preston Hall, Stockton-on-Tees, in the County Palatine of Durham, and of Skutterskelfe Hall, Hutton Rudby, in the North Riding of York.^[4]

Ropner died February 1924, aged 85, and was succeeded in the baronetcy by his eldest son John. His third son William Ropner was the father of the Conservative politician Sir Leonard Ropner, 1st Baronet of Thorp Perrow.

I'm afraid this entry needs re-writing. There seems to be some confusion between Sir Robert Ropner and his son Emil Hugo Oscar Robert.

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Jonathan Samuel	Member of Parliament for Stockton-on-Tees 1900–1910	Succeeded by Jonathan Samuel
Baronetage of the United Kingdom
Preceded by New creation	Baronet (of Preston Hall and Skutterskelfe Hall) 1904–1924	Succeeded by Sir John Henry Ropner

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[edit] Sources

• Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990.
• Rayment, Leigh. Baronetage. Leigh Rayment's Peerage Page. Retrieved on 2007-11-18.
• Tramping to Success and Ropners, Owning and Building Ships, Shipping Lines. PortCities Southhampton. Retrieved on 2007-11-18.
• Ropner Shipbuilding. The Best of British Engineering 1750s - 1960s. Grace's Guide (2007-09-16). Retrieved on 2007-11-17.