Lady Hélène Paris Chapman, nee MacGowan by Cowan Dobson, “The National Gallery Masterpiece Tour, Mignard: The Power of Posing” at South Shields Museum and Art Gallery

Lady Chapman (1886-1972) was born in 1886 to Scottish parents. Her middle name reflected the city of her birth, Paris, where her father worked as a senior executive for the Standard Oil Company. She attended a boarding school in St Andrews and through friends met Robert Chapman from Westoe, South Shields, who she married in 1909. They lived first in Harton, where their sons were born, and later moved to ‘Undercliff” in Cleadon.

Hélène took a very active role in civic life in the borough.

Her husband was an MP for Houghton-le-Spring, then became Mayor of South Shields. As Lady Mayoress, Hélène pursued many charitable activities, including founding the South Shields Women’s Mutual Service Club, providing educational and leisure support for unemployed women. She went on to become Chairman of the South Shields Nursing Association, President of the South Shields Shoeless Children’s Fund, President of the South Shields Royal British Legion Women’s Section, Vice-President of the Ingham Infirmary, and a Justice of the Peace, as well as supporting other charitable organisations. Later she became President of the Durham County Red Cross and in 1953 generously funded the donation of an ambulance to the organisation. When her husband was knighted in January 1950, Hélène became Lady Chapman.

This portrait was painted when Hélène was 48 by the Scottish artist Cowan Dobson, whose other sitters included Lady Lauder, the Countess of Weir, and the Duke of Argyll.

Provenance: gift from Sir Robin M. Chapman, 1977

Object description
Type: Easel Painting
Location: South Shields Museum, Tyne & Wear
Material: Oil on canvas
Artist: Cowan Dobson (1894-1980)
Date: 1934

Image Details
Date: 31 August 2026
Camera body: iPhone Xs
Lens: Telephoto Camera 52mm ƒ/2.4
Focal Length: 52mm
Aperture: ƒ/2.4
Shutter Speed: 1/50s
ISO: 160
Licensing: Image of a North East Museums asset. This image cannot be licensed.