Audrey Callaghan
Encyclopedia
Audrey Elizabeth Callaghan, Lady Callaghan of Cardiff (née Moulton; 28 July 1913 – 15 March 2005) was the wife of British Prime Minister
James Callaghan
and was herself a politician and campaigner and fundraiser for children's health and welfare.
She was born in Maidstone
, Kent, joined the Labour Party
despite her father being a director of the Lead Wool Company, a tool company. She would chair Maidstone Labour Party and Fabian Society
. She met her future husband in the early 1930s while still in her teens at the Baptist
church Sunday school
where they both worked, then at the Labour Party, but they did not marry until 1938. They honeymooned in Paris
and Chamonix
then returned to rent a house in Norwood
.
Callaghan was educated at Maidstone Grammar School, then studied cookery at Battersea
College of Domestic Science. She worked as a dietician at an antenatal clinic in Greenwich
during World War II
, a young mother herself. At the same time, she studied economics at a University of London
extension course in Eltham
, with Hugh Gaitskell
as tutor. She made a special study of malnutrition in children and its remedies.
James had been elected a Member of Parliament
for Cardiff
in 1945 and she was at his side throughout his career. She was somewhat derided, described as "the Yorkshire Pudding", ostensibly for her skill in cooking, but also as a reference to her perceived poor dress sense and mildly disorganised appearance. She was ridiculed for her hobby of keeping pigs. She remained very private and shunned the limelight. However, she was engaged with her husband's jobs and was said to be instrumental in dissuading him from resignation after the 1967 devaluation of the pound.
In 1959, Audrey was elected as Labour member for Lewisham
for the London County Council
. She took a special interest in children's homes and the Children's Committee. She was an alderman
of the Greater London Council
from 1964 and became chairman of Lewisham Council's children's committee, where she was also an alderman, when the GLC was abolished.
In 1969 Callaghan became the chair of the board of governors of Great Ormond Street Hospital for Sick Children. She continued raising funds for the hospital for the next thirty years, most notably securing an extension of copyright on Peter Pan
for the hospital by a Lords amendment moved by James. In 1987, when James was created Baron Callaghan of Cardiff, she became Lady Callaghan. She herself refused a damehood from Margaret Thatcher
. They retired to a farm in Ringmer
, East Sussex
, where she kept pigs and he kept cows and sheep, and grew barley. Along with her husband she supported causes relating to the University College of Swansea, of which James Callaghan was President.
During her eighties, Callaghan developed Alzheimer's disease
. In July 2001, when her condition had deteriorated, she entered a care home run by Catholic nuns, where her husband visited her every day until her death in March 2005; by which time they had been married for 67 years and together for well over 70. He died just eleven days after her death.
The eldest of their three children is Margaret Jay, Baroness Jay of Paddington
, born in 1940. Their second daughter, Julia, was born in 1943 and their son, Michael, in 1946.
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
James Callaghan
James Callaghan
Leonard James Callaghan, Baron Callaghan of Cardiff, KG, PC , was a British Labour politician, who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1976 to 1979 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1976 to 1980...
and was herself a politician and campaigner and fundraiser for children's health and welfare.
She was born in Maidstone
Maidstone
Maidstone is the county town of Kent, England, south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town linking Maidstone to Rochester and the Thames Estuary. Historically, the river was a source and route for much of the town's trade. Maidstone was the centre of the agricultural...
, Kent, joined the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
despite her father being a director of the Lead Wool Company, a tool company. She would chair Maidstone Labour Party and Fabian Society
Fabian Society
The Fabian Society is a British socialist movement, whose purpose is to advance the principles of democratic socialism via gradualist and reformist, rather than revolutionary, means. It is best known for its initial ground-breaking work beginning late in the 19th century and continuing up to World...
. She met her future husband in the early 1930s while still in her teens at the Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
church Sunday school
Sunday school
Sunday school is the generic name for many different types of religious education pursued on Sundays by various denominations.-England:The first Sunday school may have been opened in 1751 in St. Mary's Church, Nottingham. Another early start was made by Hannah Ball, a native of High Wycombe in...
where they both worked, then at the Labour Party, but they did not marry until 1938. They honeymooned in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and Chamonix
Chamonix
Chamonix-Mont-Blanc or, more commonly, Chamonix is a commune in the Haute-Savoie département in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France. It was the site of the 1924 Winter Olympics, the first Winter Olympics...
then returned to rent a house in Norwood
West Norwood
West Norwood is a place in the London Borough of Lambeth.It is primarily a residential suburb of south London but with some light industry near Knights Hill in the south....
.
Callaghan was educated at Maidstone Grammar School, then studied cookery at Battersea
Battersea
Battersea is an area of the London Borough of Wandsworth, England. It is an inner-city district of South London, situated on the south side of the River Thames, 2.9 miles south-west of Charing Cross. Battersea spans from Fairfield in the west to Queenstown in the east...
College of Domestic Science. She worked as a dietician at an antenatal clinic in Greenwich
Greenwich
Greenwich is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich.Greenwich is best known for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, a young mother herself. At the same time, she studied economics at a University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
extension course in Eltham
Eltham, London
-Parks and open spaces:There is a large variety of open green space in Eltham, in the form of parkland, fields and woodland.*Avery Hill Park is large, open parkland, situated to the east of Eltham. It is most notable for its Winter Garden, a hothouse containing tropical trees and plants from around...
, with Hugh Gaitskell
Hugh Gaitskell
Hugh Todd Naylor Gaitskell CBE was a British Labour politician, who held Cabinet office in Clement Attlee's governments, and was the Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition from 1955, until his death in 1963.-Early life:He was born in Kensington, London, the third and youngest...
as tutor. She made a special study of malnutrition in children and its remedies.
James had been elected a Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
in 1945 and she was at his side throughout his career. She was somewhat derided, described as "the Yorkshire Pudding", ostensibly for her skill in cooking, but also as a reference to her perceived poor dress sense and mildly disorganised appearance. She was ridiculed for her hobby of keeping pigs. She remained very private and shunned the limelight. However, she was engaged with her husband's jobs and was said to be instrumental in dissuading him from resignation after the 1967 devaluation of the pound.
In 1959, Audrey was elected as Labour member for Lewisham
Lewisham
Lewisham is a district in South London, England, located in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
for the London County Council
London County Council
London County Council was the principal local government body for the County of London, throughout its 1889–1965 existence, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today known as Inner London and was replaced by the Greater London Council...
. She took a special interest in children's homes and the Children's Committee. She was an alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
of the Greater London Council
Greater London Council
The Greater London Council was the top-tier local government administrative body for Greater London from 1965 to 1986. It replaced the earlier London County Council which had covered a much smaller area...
from 1964 and became chairman of Lewisham Council's children's committee, where she was also an alderman, when the GLC was abolished.
In 1969 Callaghan became the chair of the board of governors of Great Ormond Street Hospital for Sick Children. She continued raising funds for the hospital for the next thirty years, most notably securing an extension of copyright on Peter Pan
Peter Pan
Peter Pan is a character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie . A mischievous boy who can fly and magically refuses to grow up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood adventuring on the small island of Neverland as the leader of his gang the Lost Boys, interacting with...
for the hospital by a Lords amendment moved by James. In 1987, when James was created Baron Callaghan of Cardiff, she became Lady Callaghan. She herself refused a damehood from Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
. They retired to a farm in Ringmer
Ringmer
Ringmer is a village and civil parish in the Lewes District of East Sussex, England. The village is located three miles east of Lewes. Other small settlements in the parish include Upper Wellingham, Ashton Green, Broyle Side and Little Norlington....
, East Sussex
East Sussex
East Sussex is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, and to the south by the English Channel.-History:...
, where she kept pigs and he kept cows and sheep, and grew barley. Along with her husband she supported causes relating to the University College of Swansea, of which James Callaghan was President.
During her eighties, Callaghan developed Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
. In July 2001, when her condition had deteriorated, she entered a care home run by Catholic nuns, where her husband visited her every day until her death in March 2005; by which time they had been married for 67 years and together for well over 70. He died just eleven days after her death.
The eldest of their three children is Margaret Jay, Baroness Jay of Paddington
Margaret Jay, Baroness Jay of Paddington
Margaret Ann Jay, Baroness Jay of Paddington, PC is a British politician for the Labour Party.-Background:Her father was former Labour Prime Minister James Callaghan, and she was educated at Blackheath High School, Blackheath and Somerville College, Oxford.Between 1965 and 1977 she held production...
, born in 1940. Their second daughter, Julia, was born in 1943 and their son, Michael, in 1946.
Shorthand titles
- Miss Audrey Moulton (28 July 1915–1938)
- Mrs James Callaghan (1938–23 April 1987)
- Lady Callaghan (23 April 1987 – 5 November 1987)
- The Right Honourable The Lady Callaghan of Cardiff (5 November 1987–15 March 2005)