Doris Fisher, Baroness Fisher of Rednal
Encyclopedia
Doris Mary Gertrude Fisher, Baroness Fisher of Rednal, née Satchwell, JP
(13 September 1919 – 18 December 2005) was a British
politician.
, she was the daughter of Frederick James Satchwell. She was educated at Tinker's Farm Girls' School and went then to Fircroft College
and afterwards Bournville Day Continuation College.
in 1945 and was nominated director of her local Co-operative board in 1951. A year later, Fisher was elected a member of the Birmingham City Council
, in which she sat until 1974. Subsequently she served as a member of the Warrington and Runcorn Development Corporation
until 1989. Fisher was National President of the Co-operative Party Guild
in 1961 and was appointed a Justice of the Peace
.
She contested Birmingham, Ladywood in 1969 at a by-election won by Wallace Lawler
of the Liberals
. In the following general election, she was successful for the constituency and represented it as Member of Parliament
(MP) the next four years. After her departure from the House of Commons, she was created a life peer
as Baroness Fisher of Rednal, of Rednal, in the City of Birmingham on 2 July 1974.
In the House of Lords
, Fisher became Crown Representative of the General Medical Council
in September 1974 and later chaired the Esperanto Group. She was nominated an Assistant Whip for Environment in 1983, an office she held until the following year. Fisher entered the European Parliament
in 1975, sitting in Strasbourg
until 1979. She was vice-president of the Institute of Trading Standards Administration.
, in 1939 and had two daughters. Her husband died in 1978 and she survived him until her death in 2005, aged 86.
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
(13 September 1919 – 18 December 2005) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
politician.
Early life and education
Born in BirminghamBirmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, she was the daughter of Frederick James Satchwell. She was educated at Tinker's Farm Girls' School and went then to Fircroft College
Fircroft College
Fircroft College is a specialist adult residential college based in Selly Oak, Birmingham.The college was originally founded by George Cadbury in 1909 and offers mostly short residential courses, as well as an Access to Higher Education programme and specialist courses for the over 55s...
and afterwards Bournville Day Continuation College.
Career
She joined the Labour PartyLabour 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...
in 1945 and was nominated director of her local Co-operative board in 1951. A year later, Fisher was elected a member of the Birmingham City Council
Birmingham City Council
The Birmingham City Council is the body responsible for the governance of the City of Birmingham in England, which has been a metropolitan district since 1974. It is the most populated local authority in the United Kingdom with, following a reorganisation of boundaries in June 2004, 120 Birmingham...
, in which she sat until 1974. Subsequently she served as a member of the Warrington and Runcorn Development Corporation
Warrington and Runcorn Development Corporation
The Warrington and Runcorn Development Corporation was a Development Corporation formed in the 1980s by the merger of the Warrington Development Corporation and the Runcorn Development Corporation, which covered two adjacent areas....
until 1989. Fisher was National President of the Co-operative Party Guild
Co-operative Party
The Co-operative Party is a centre-left political party in the United Kingdom committed to supporting and representing co-operative principles. The party does not put up separate candidates for any UK election itself. Instead, Co-operative candidates stand jointly with the Labour Party as "Labour...
in 1961 and was appointed a Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
.
She contested Birmingham, Ladywood in 1969 at a by-election won by Wallace Lawler
Wallace Lawler
Wallace Leslie Lawler was a British Liberal politician. He was elected a Member of Parliament by gaining Birmingham, Ladywood from Labour at a by-election on 26 June 1969. However, Lawler only served for one year, as Labour's Doris Fisher regained the seat from him at the 1970 general election...
of the Liberals
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
. In the following general election, she was successful for the constituency and represented it as 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,...
(MP) the next four years. After her departure from the House of Commons, she was created a life peer
Life 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 Fisher of Rednal, of Rednal, in the City of Birmingham on 2 July 1974.
In 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....
, Fisher became Crown Representative of the General Medical Council
General Medical Council
The General Medical Council registers and regulates doctors practising in the United Kingdom. It has the power to revoke or restrict a doctor's registration if it deems them unfit to practise...
in September 1974 and later chaired the Esperanto Group. She was nominated an Assistant Whip for Environment in 1983, an office she held until the following year. Fisher entered the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
in 1975, sitting in Strasbourg
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
until 1979. She was vice-president of the Institute of Trading Standards Administration.
Personal life
She married Joseph Fisher, a sheet-metal-worker at the Longbridge plantLongbridge plant
The Longbridge plant is an industrial complex situated in the Longbridge area of Birmingham, United Kingdom. It is currently owned by SAIC Group and is a manufacturing and research and development facility for its MG Motor subsidiary....
, in 1939 and had two daughters. Her husband died in 1978 and she survived him until her death in 2005, aged 86.