Baroness Thatcher first female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom has passed away aged 87 following a stroke. Lady Thatcher was born Margaret Hilda Roberts in Grantham, Lincolnshire on the 13th October 1925 to Alfred Roberts and Beatrice Ethel Roberts nee Stephenson.
Miss Roberts attended Huntingtower Road Primary School followed by Kesteven and Grantham Girls School where she was head girl. Upon leaving school she went to Somerville College, Oxford to study Chemistry. In 1947 she graduated with second class honours degree.
In 1946 Miss Roberts became President of the Oxford University Conservative Association. Miss Roberts then went on to work as research chemist for Bx Plastics and J Lyons and Co in the 1950’s.
Miss Roberts stood as the Conservative Candidate for Dartford in the 1950 and 1951 general elections but fail to gain the seat on both occasions. In December 1951 she married Dennis Thatcher. Mrs Thatcher then embarked on a change of career studying to join the bar and become a barrister qualifying in 1953. Mrs Thatcher became a mother of twins on the 15th August 1953 a daughter named Carol and a son named Mark.
Mrs Thatcher stood as the Conservative Candidate in the 1955 Orpington by-election but fail to win the seat. In 1959 she stood as the Conservative Candidate for Finchley and won. In October 1961 Mrs Thatcher was appointed Parliamentary Undersecretary at the Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance.
Following the Conservative Party losing the 1964 General Election she became Shadow spokeswoman for Housing and Land then become Shadow spokeswoman for the Treasury in 1966. Mrs Thatcher then become Shadow spokeswoman for Fuel then Shadow spokeswoman for Transport. Mrs Thatcher last appointment in opposition was Shadow spokeswoman for Education.
In 1970 General Election the Conservative Party won and Mrs Thatcher was appointed Secretary of State for Education and Science. Mrs Thatcher made cuts to the Education budget resulting in the abolishment of free school milk for schoolchildren aged Seven to Eleven. The Labour Party and the Press dubbed her Margaret Thatcher milk snatcher.
In 1974 the Conservative Party lost the February and October General Elections Mrs Thatcher challenged Edward Heath the Party’s leader in a leadership contest wining the first ballot Edward Heath subsequently resigned. Mrs Thatcher went on to beat William Whitelaw in the second ballot becoming Leader of the Conservative Party on the 11th February 1975.
Following the Winter of Discontent in the late 1970’s the Conservative party with Mrs Thatcher at the helm won the 1979 General Election defeating the Labour Prime Minister James Callaghan. On the 4th May 1979 Mrs Thatcher became Britain’s first female Prime Minister in her speech on the steps of Number 10 Downing Street her said “Where there is discord, may we bring harmony. Where there is error, may we bring truth. Where there is doubt, may we bring faith. And where there is despair, may we bring hope”. Mrs Thatcher went on to win the 1983 General Election and the 1987 General Election. Mrs Thatcher had to deal with some of the most important social and political events in the UK’s history during her premiership. The Following are just some she had to face.
1980 - The Iranian Embassy Siege
1981 - The Brixton Riots
1981 - The Irish Hunger Strike by Irish Republican Prisoners
1981 - UK goes into Recession
2nd April 1982 - The Falkland and South Georgia Islands are invaded by Argentina Mrs Thatcher sent a naval task force down to the Falkland’s and following two months of fighting and 258 British Serviceman dying Argentina surrendered on the 14th June 1982.
1984-1985 The Miners’ Strike. The National Union of Mineworkers call a strike in protest of pit closures the Strike ended in 1985 and the closures went ahead.
12 October 1984 - The Brighton Hotel Bombing the Provisional Irish Republican Army attempted to assassinate Mrs Thatcher killing 5 people and injuring 31 Mrs Thatcher escaped unharmed.
1984 - Signed the Sino-British Joint Declaration ensuring the safe handover of Hong Kong to the People’s Republic of China.
1985 - Signed the Anglo-Irish Agreement a significant step in the Irish Peace process.
1986 - Secured a Large annual rebate from the European Union to the UK.
1989 - Abolished the Greater London Council and six other Municipal county Councils in England.
1989 - Defeated a leadership Challenge by Sir Anthony Meyer 3rd Bt.
1990 - Introduction of the Community Charge Commonly known as the Poll Tax.
1990 - Poll Tax Riots.
1990 - Michael Heseltine challenges Mrs Thatcher for the Leadership of the Conservative Party Mrs Thatcher wins the first ballot.
22 November 1990 following several members of the cabinet declaring they would not support her Mrs Thatcher resigned as Prime Minister.
Following Mrs Thatcher’s resignation her Mr Denis Thatcher MBE TD was created a baronet making him Sir Denis Thatcher MBE TD 1st Bt of Scotney in the County of Kent. Mrs Thatcher was then styled Lady Thatcher. Lady Thatcher was awarded the Order of Merit (OM) for her service as Prime Minister.
Lady Thatcher retired as MP of Finchley in 1992. In Lady Thatcher appointed to the House of Lords as a Life Peer under the Title Baroness Thatcher of Kesteven in the County of Lincolnshire. In 1995 Baroness Thatcher was appointed Lady Companion of the Order of the Garter (LG).
In her later years Baroness Thatcher suffered increasing poor heath including several mini strokes. She was unable to attend the Wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in 2011 due to ill health and showed increased frailty in her recent public appearances.
Today Baroness Thatcher’s spokesman Lord Bell announced she passed away peacefully following a stroke.
It has been announced that Baroness Thatcher will receive a Ceremonial funeral with military honours at St Paul’s Cathedral in London.
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