Beatrice Serota, Baroness Serota
Encyclopedia
Beatrice Katz Serota, Baroness Serota DBE
(15 October 1919 – 21 October 2002) was a British
Government minister and a Deputy Speaker of the House of Lords
.
Beatrice Katz had been brought up in the East End, the daughter of Jewish refugees from central Europe. She was nicknamed "Bea" or "Bee" from an early age. Her future husband, Stanley Serota, whose family had come from Russia, lived next door; they were married in 1942.
He qualified as a civil engineer. She was educated at John Howard School and at the LSE
, where she read economics and where she later became an honorary fellow. She joined the civil service in 1941 and worked in the crucial Ministry of Fuel and Power through the difficult years of the Second World War until 1946, when her son, Nicholas Serota
, who would later become the director of the Tate Gallery
, was born. Two years later, a daughter, Judith, was born, who would pursue a career in the arts.
Bea Serota was not the sort of politician who made headlines; she was the sort who got on with the job, who found out where the oil-cans were kept and made sure the wheels went on turning. Her two years with Dick Crossman, during a lively and busy time in the department at the end of a momentous decade when issues such as abortion
, contraception
- and, in particular, the pill - were highly topical, proved to be her only period of office as a government minister, and yet she spent a lifetime in politics. Harold Wilson
appointed her as a government whip almost immediately and then proposed her for the sensitive post of deputy to Crossman, having refused to promote Roy Hattersley
, whom he suspected of disloyalty.
She had never been an MP
herself, but she was known as a thoroughly competent administrator. She was especially popular in London at that time. She had been a member of the old Hampstead Borough Council immediately after the Second World War and subsequently served successively on the London County Council
, as the member for Brixton
, and the Greater London Council
, as the member for Lambeth. Until the end of her life she was devoted to the London suburb of Hampstead
, where she lived as an adult and cut her political teeth as a young married woman.
She became chief whip when she was on the GLC, a post that would stand her in good stead later. Her other defining post was as the vice-chairwoman of the Inner London Education Authority
, which she held for three years until 1967. It was her distinguished career in local government and the work that she did for children - she was on a number of advisory councils for child care, for training and on the penal system - that brought her the recognition of a seat in the Lords as a recognised authority on the subject. She had also chaired the LCC children's committee for seven years.
She was the chair of the advisory council on the penal system, and she was the first ombudsman for local government. She was a member of the community relations commission and of the BBC complaints commission and she was a BBC Governor
. She served on the Longford Committee on Crime and on the Latey Committee, which led to the lowering of the age of majority to 18. In the Lords, she became a deputy speaker in 1985, and then the principal deputy chairwoman of committees.
as Baroness Serota, of Hampstead in Greater London
.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(15 October 1919 – 21 October 2002) was a British
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
Government minister and a Deputy Speaker of the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
.
Beatrice Katz had been brought up in the East End, the daughter of Jewish refugees from central Europe. She was nicknamed "Bea" or "Bee" from an early age. Her future husband, Stanley Serota, whose family had come from Russia, lived next door; they were married in 1942.
He qualified as a civil engineer. She was educated at John Howard School and at the LSE
London Stock Exchange
The London Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located in the City of London within the United Kingdom. , the Exchange had a market capitalisation of US$3.7495 trillion, making it the fourth-largest stock exchange in the world by this measurement...
, where she read economics and where she later became an honorary fellow. She joined the civil service in 1941 and worked in the crucial Ministry of Fuel and Power through the difficult years of the Second World War until 1946, when her son, Nicholas Serota
Nicholas Serota
Sir Nicholas Andrew Serota is a British art curator. Serota was director of the Whitechapel Gallery, London, and The Museum of Modern Art, Oxford, before becoming director of the Tate, the United Kingdom's national gallery of modern and British art in 1988. He was awarded a knighthood in 1999. He...
, who would later become the director of the Tate Gallery
Tate Gallery
The Tate is an institution that houses the United Kingdom's national collection of British Art, and International Modern and Contemporary Art...
, was born. Two years later, a daughter, Judith, was born, who would pursue a career in the arts.
Bea Serota was not the sort of politician who made headlines; she was the sort who got on with the job, who found out where the oil-cans were kept and made sure the wheels went on turning. Her two years with Dick Crossman, during a lively and busy time in the department at the end of a momentous decade when issues such as abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
, contraception
Contraception
Contraception is the prevention of the fusion of gametes during or after sexual activity. The term contraception is a contraction of contra, which means against, and the word conception, meaning fertilization...
- and, in particular, the pill - were highly topical, proved to be her only period of office as a government minister, and yet she spent a lifetime in politics. Harold Wilson
Harold Wilson
James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, KG, OBE, FRS, FSS, PC was a British Labour Member of Parliament, Leader of the Labour Party. He was twice Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the 1960s and 1970s, winning four general elections, including a minority government after the...
appointed her as a government whip almost immediately and then proposed her for the sensitive post of deputy to Crossman, having refused to promote Roy Hattersley
Roy Hattersley
Roy Sydney George Hattersley, Baron Hattersley is a British Labour politician, author and journalist from Sheffield. He served as Deputy Leader of the Labour Party from 1983 to 1992.-Early life:...
, whom he suspected of disloyalty.
She had never been an MP
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,...
herself, but she was known as a thoroughly competent administrator. She was especially popular in London at that time. She had been a member of the old Hampstead Borough Council immediately after the Second World War and subsequently served successively on 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...
, as the member for Brixton
Brixton
Brixton is a district in the London Borough of Lambeth in south London, England. It is south south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
, and 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...
, as the member for Lambeth. Until the end of her life she was devoted to the London suburb of Hampstead
Hampstead
Hampstead is an area of London, England, north-west of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Camden in Inner London, it is known for its intellectual, liberal, artistic, musical and literary associations and for Hampstead Heath, a large, hilly expanse of parkland...
, where she lived as an adult and cut her political teeth as a young married woman.
She became chief whip when she was on the GLC, a post that would stand her in good stead later. Her other defining post was as the vice-chairwoman of the Inner London Education Authority
Inner London Education Authority
The Inner London Education Authority was the education authority for the 12 inner London boroughs from 1965 until its abolition in 1990.-History:...
, which she held for three years until 1967. It was her distinguished career in local government and the work that she did for children - she was on a number of advisory councils for child care, for training and on the penal system - that brought her the recognition of a seat in the Lords as a recognised authority on the subject. She had also chaired the LCC children's committee for seven years.
She was the chair of the advisory council on the penal system, and she was the first ombudsman for local government. She was a member of the community relations commission and of the BBC complaints commission and she was a BBC Governor
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
. She served on the Longford Committee on Crime and on the Latey Committee, which led to the lowering of the age of majority to 18. In the Lords, she became a deputy speaker in 1985, and then the principal deputy chairwoman of committees.
Education
- John HowardJohn Howard (UK politician)John Melbourne Howard was a British Conservative Party politician.Howard was educated at Whitgift School, South Croydon. He served in the Royal Navy, 1941–46, in minesweepers during World War II, holding the rank of sub-lieutenant. He worked as a chartered accountant.In the 1945 general election,...
School - London School of EconomicsLondon School of EconomicsThe London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
(Honorary Fellow, 1976)
Life Peerage
In 1967, she was created a life peerLife peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...
as Baroness Serota, of Hampstead in Greater London
Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
.
External links
- Oxford Index #101077350
- Catalogue of the Serota papers at the Archives Division of the London School of EconomicsLondon School of EconomicsThe London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
. - LSE
- Daily Telegraph obituary