Sir Philip Colfox, 1st Baronet

Sir William Philip Colfox, 1st Baronet, MC, DL, JP (25 February 1888 – 8 November 1966) was an English soldier, farmer and Conservative Party politician. Early life and military career Colfox was the son of Colonel Thomas Alfred Colfox of Coneygar, Bridport, and Constance, daughter of Edward John Nettlefold of Hallfield, Birmingham. Born in Bridport, Dorset, he was educated at Eton College and at Woolwich. Serving in 132 Royal Field Artillery (RFA) in Fermoy 1908-9 and Ewshott 1909-12 he joined 14 RFA at Allahabad 1912-14 and Secunderabad 1914. He served as a Major in France and Belgium in 128, 130, 129, G/38, 6DAC and D/162 RFA during World War I, and was wounded twice in 1917, receiving a Military Cross. He then taught classics and mathematics at Eton for the rest of World War I. In later life, when fully retired, he taught mathematics to children in Bridport as a volunteer. Political career His father had started as a Liberal, but Colfox followed his mother's family – which included Joseph Chamberlain (Founder of the National Liberal Federation, Liberal Unionist Association and National Radical Union), his sons Austen and Neville Chamberlain — first to become Liberal or Radical Unionists then Unionists and later Conservative Unionists. At the 1918 general election, Colfox was elected as Member of Parliament (MP) for Dorset North as a Coalition Unionist (majority 212) becoming in 1920 Private Secretary (unpaid) to Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Pensions (George Tryon) and in 1921 Private Secretary (unpaid) to Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies (Hon EFL Wood - Lord Halifax).