Anne Dickson
Encyclopedia
Anne Letitia Dickson is a former Northern Ireland Unionist politician.
Born in London, she moved with her family to Northern Ireland
at an early age and was educated at Holywood and Richmond Lodge School
. After service as the Chair of the Northern Ireland Advisory Board of the Salvation Army
she become actively involved in politics for the Ulster Unionist Party
. Elected as chair of the Carrick Division Unionist Association she later became a member of the Newtownabbey Urban District Council
; serving as Vice-Chair of the Council from 1967 to 1969.
She was then elected as an Ulster Unionist politician for the Carrick constituency in the Parliament of Northern Ireland
at Stormont as a supporter of the Prime Minister
Terence O'Neill
. After the dissolution of the Stormont Parliament, she was elected in the 1973 Assembly election for South Antrim
as an Independent Unionist candidate having resigned from the UUP in 1972. After the Ulster Unionist party split in 1973/4 over the Sunningdale agreement
she joined the newly formed Unionist Party of Northern Ireland
(UPNI) along with other supporters of the former Northern Ireland prime minister Brian Faulkner
. She retained her seat in South Antrim in the 1975 constitutional convention election. After the retirement of Brian Faulkner
she became leader of the Unionist Party of Northern Ireland
(UPNI) in 1976, becoming the first woman to lead a major political party in Northern Ireland
.
In 1979 she contested the Belfast North
constituency in the Westminster election, polling 10% of the vote, the best performance by a UPNI candidate in Northern Ireland, however her intervention was sufficient to split the moderate Unionist vote resulting in the seat being gained by the DUP. The UPNI disbanded in 1981 after poor results in the local government elections that year and Dickson retired from active politics. Subsequently she was chair of the Northern Ireland Consumer Council from 1985 to 1990.
Born in London, she moved with her family to Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
at an early age and was educated at Holywood and Richmond Lodge School
Victoria College, Belfast
Victoria College, Belfast is a voluntary non-denominational grammar school in Cranmore Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland. In 2007, the college had 867 pupils aged 11 – 18 and a Preparatory Department with 175 girls, aged 3 – 11....
. After service as the Chair of the Northern Ireland Advisory Board of the Salvation Army
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
she become actively involved in politics for the Ulster Unionist Party
Ulster Unionist Party
The Ulster Unionist Party – sometimes referred to as the Official Unionist Party or, in a historic sense, simply the Unionist Party – is the more moderate of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland...
. Elected as chair of the Carrick Division Unionist Association she later became a member of the Newtownabbey Urban District Council
Newtownabbey Borough Council
Newtownabbey Borough Council is a Local Council in County Antrim in Northern Ireland. Newtownabbey has a population of over 80,000 and is on the north shore of Belfast Lough just immediately north of Belfast. The Borough was founded in 1958 as a result of an Act of Parliament passed in 1957 and...
; serving as Vice-Chair of the Council from 1967 to 1969.
She was then elected as an Ulster Unionist politician for the Carrick constituency in the Parliament of Northern Ireland
Parliament of Northern Ireland
The Parliament of Northern Ireland was the home rule legislature of Northern Ireland, created under the Government of Ireland Act 1920, which sat from 7 June 1921 to 30 March 1972, when it was suspended...
at Stormont as a supporter of the Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
Terence O'Neill
Terence O'Neill
Terence Marne O'Neill, Baron O'Neill of the Maine, PC was the fourth Prime Minister of Northern Ireland and leader of the Ulster Unionist Party...
. After the dissolution of the Stormont Parliament, she was elected in the 1973 Assembly election for South Antrim
South Antrim
South Antrim can refer to:*The southern part of County Antrim*South Antrim *South Antrim *South Antrim...
as an Independent Unionist candidate having resigned from the UUP in 1972. After the Ulster Unionist party split in 1973/4 over the Sunningdale agreement
Sunningdale Agreement
The Sunningdale Agreement was an attempt to establish a power-sharing Northern Ireland Executive and a cross-border Council of Ireland. The Agreement was signed at the Civil Service College in Sunningdale Park located in Sunningdale, Berkshire, on 9 December 1973.Unionist opposition, violence and...
she joined the newly formed Unionist Party of Northern Ireland
Unionist Party of Northern Ireland
The Unionist Party of Northern Ireland was a political party founded by Brian Faulkner in September 1974.-Formation:The party emerged following splits in the Ulster Unionist Party in 1973 and 1974 over the British government's white paper Northern Ireland Constitutional Proposals, the Northern...
(UPNI) along with other supporters of the former Northern Ireland prime minister Brian Faulkner
Brian Faulkner
Arthur Brian Deane Faulkner, Baron Faulkner of Downpatrick, PC was the sixth and last Prime Minister of Northern Ireland from March 1971 until his resignation in March 1972...
. She retained her seat in South Antrim in the 1975 constitutional convention election. After the retirement of Brian Faulkner
Brian Faulkner
Arthur Brian Deane Faulkner, Baron Faulkner of Downpatrick, PC was the sixth and last Prime Minister of Northern Ireland from March 1971 until his resignation in March 1972...
she became leader of the Unionist Party of Northern Ireland
Unionist Party of Northern Ireland
The Unionist Party of Northern Ireland was a political party founded by Brian Faulkner in September 1974.-Formation:The party emerged following splits in the Ulster Unionist Party in 1973 and 1974 over the British government's white paper Northern Ireland Constitutional Proposals, the Northern...
(UPNI) in 1976, becoming the first woman to lead a major political party in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
.
In 1979 she contested the Belfast North
Belfast North (UK Parliament constituency)
Belfast North is a Parliamentary Constituency in the United Kingdom House of Commons.-Boundaries:The seat was created in 1922 when, as part of the establishment of the devolved Stormont Parliament for Northern Ireland, the number of MPs in the Westminster Parliament was drastically cut...
constituency in the Westminster election, polling 10% of the vote, the best performance by a UPNI candidate in Northern Ireland, however her intervention was sufficient to split the moderate Unionist vote resulting in the seat being gained by the DUP. The UPNI disbanded in 1981 after poor results in the local government elections that year and Dickson retired from active politics. Subsequently she was chair of the Northern Ireland Consumer Council from 1985 to 1990.