A subject from modern rather than medieval history. Chamberlain is almost universally associated with the policy of appeasement particularly the failure to stand up to Hitler in 1938 over Czechoslovakia. But, before becoming Prime Minister, he had an unrivalled record of achievement in public service. This talk seeks to put his life in perspective setting out Chamberlain’s remarkable achievements in domestic policy and then putting into context the extreme difficulties he faced in foreign affairs. Whilst a Conservative he was at the same time a social radical. Both as a local and national politician he advanced slum clearance schemes and the building of solid and decent public housing. He abolished the workhouses and established better retirement , widows’ and other pensions. In many respects he was one of the fathers of the modern welfare state. If he had retired in 1937 his record would be remembered as second to none. But that year he stepped up to become Prime Minister. Almost immediately Chamberlain had to deal with the Nazi threat. Many thought that when Hitler re-occupied the Rhineland in 1936 and annexed Austria in the early part of 1938 his actions were not unreasonable. Similarly when he threatened Czechoslovakia in the early autumn of 1938 to protect the rights of Sudetenland Germans. Chamberlain felt that there was nothing Britain could do to help the Czechs militarily. He was almost certainly correct. There followed Chamberlain’s three infamous flights to Germany in September 1938 to negotiate a peace settlement with Hitler. As we know he finally returned waving a piece of paper and proclaiming ‘Peace for our Time’. What is not clear is whether he had been truly duped by Hitler or had in fact achieved some further time for Britain to re-arm. This conundrum will probably never be resolved. But when war did come a year later in September 1939 the Royal Air Force was fully up to strength and was able to defeat the Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain in 1940.