Jane Ewart-Biggs, Baroness Ewart-Biggs
Encyclopedia
Felicity Jane Ewart-Biggs, Baroness Ewart-Biggs (née Randall; 22 August 1929 – 8 October 1992) was a British
politician and wife to the British Ambassador to Ireland, Christopher Ewart-Biggs
, who was murdered in office. She was President of the British Committee
of UNICEF
and became a life peer
in 1981, later serving as the Labour Party
's spokesperson on home affairs, consumer affairs and overseas development.
to Indian army major Basil FitzHerbert Randall and his wife, Rena. She returned to England with her mother after the death of her father and studied at Downe House School. After attending secretarial college, she worked as a secretary at the Foreign Office and later joined the Savoy Hotel
.
She married diplomat Christopher Ewart-Biggs
on 5 May 1960 and they had three children. Christopher became British Ambassador to Ireland and after 12 days service, was assassinated by the IRA
on 21 July 1976. Ewart-Biggs learned of his death over her car radio while she was driving in London. Subsequently, she joined the peace movement founded by Mairead Corrigan
and Betty Williams, and launched a memorial fund in her husband's name to promote peace and reconciliation in Ireland, which founded the Christopher Ewart-Biggs Memorial Prize
.
. She attempted to become an MEP
, given her knowledge of the European Community from her husband's posting in Brussels. The party were wary of her background and lack of constituency experience, which also lead to her not being selected as a candidate for the Greater London Council
.
From 1984 she was President of the British Committee
of the United Nations Children's Fund
. After conducting constituency work, she became a life peer
as Baroness Ewart-Biggs, of Ellis Green in the county of Essex
, on 22 May 1981, making her maiden speech in the House of Lords
on Britain in the European Economic Community
on 17 June. She spoke on home affairs, Ireland and was on committees dedicated to helping people. In 1983 she was appointed Labour front-bench spokesman on home affairs, and additionally consumer affairs and overseas development in 1987. In 1988 she became an opposition whip.
Ewart-Biggs was described by fellow peer Alma Birk
as "considerate, helpful and with a sense of humour" and said that "she was a popular and highly regarded member of the House of Lords (where I first met her) and much loved by the Labour group of peers".
In 1991, she was diagnosed with cancer. She married Kevin Patrick O'Sullivan, a consulting engineer and her partner for 14 years, on 18 September 1992, and three weeks later she died in Charing Cross Hospital
.
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 and wife to the British Ambassador to Ireland, Christopher Ewart-Biggs
Christopher Ewart-Biggs
Christopher Ewart-Biggs, CMG, OBE was the British Ambassador to Ireland and an author. He was assassinated by the Provisional Irish Republican Army in Sandyford, Dublin....
, who was murdered in office. She was President of the British Committee
UNICEF UK
UNICEF UK, also known as the United Kingdom Committee for UNICEF, is one of 36 UNICEF National Committees based in industrialised countries. The National Committees raise funds for the organisation's worldwide emergency and development work. In 2007, UNICEF UK raised £41.3 million for UNICEF’s work...
of UNICEF
United Nations Children's Fund
United Nations Children's Fund was created by the United Nations General Assembly on December 11, 1946, to provide emergency food and healthcare to children in countries that had been devastated by World War II...
and became 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...
in 1981, later serving as 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...
's spokesperson on home affairs, consumer affairs and overseas development.
Early life and marriage
Ewart-Biggs was born in IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
to Indian army major Basil FitzHerbert Randall and his wife, Rena. She returned to England with her mother after the death of her father and studied at Downe House School. After attending secretarial college, she worked as a secretary at the Foreign Office and later joined the Savoy Hotel
Savoy Hotel
The Savoy Hotel is a hotel located on the Strand, in the City of Westminster in central London. Built by impresario Richard D'Oyly Carte with profits from his Gilbert and Sullivan operas, the hotel opened on 6 August 1889. It was the first in the Savoy group of hotels and restaurants owned by...
.
She married diplomat Christopher Ewart-Biggs
Christopher Ewart-Biggs
Christopher Ewart-Biggs, CMG, OBE was the British Ambassador to Ireland and an author. He was assassinated by the Provisional Irish Republican Army in Sandyford, Dublin....
on 5 May 1960 and they had three children. Christopher became British Ambassador to Ireland and after 12 days service, was assassinated by the IRA
Provisional Irish Republican Army
The Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
on 21 July 1976. Ewart-Biggs learned of his death over her car radio while she was driving in London. Subsequently, she joined the peace movement founded by Mairead Corrigan
Mairead Corrigan
Mairead Maguire , also known as Mairead Corrigan Maguire and formerly as Mairéad Corrigan, is a Northern Irish peace activist. She co-founded, with Betty Williams and Ciaran McKeown, the Community of Peace People, an organisation dedicated to encouraging a peaceful resolution of the Troubles in...
and Betty Williams, and launched a memorial fund in her husband's name to promote peace and reconciliation in Ireland, which founded the Christopher Ewart-Biggs Memorial Prize
Christopher Ewart-Biggs Memorial Prize
The Christopher Ewart-Biggs Memorial Prize was created in 1977, in memory of Christopher Ewart-Biggs, British Ambassador to the Republic of Ireland, who was assassinated by the IRA in 1976....
.
Politics
Her interest in politics increased following her husband's death and Ewart-Biggs 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...
. She attempted to become an MEP
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
, given her knowledge of the European Community from her husband's posting in Brussels. The party were wary of her background and lack of constituency experience, which also lead to her not being selected as a candidate for 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 1984 she was President of the British Committee
UNICEF UK
UNICEF UK, also known as the United Kingdom Committee for UNICEF, is one of 36 UNICEF National Committees based in industrialised countries. The National Committees raise funds for the organisation's worldwide emergency and development work. In 2007, UNICEF UK raised £41.3 million for UNICEF’s work...
of the United Nations Children's Fund
United Nations Children's Fund
United Nations Children's Fund was created by the United Nations General Assembly on December 11, 1946, to provide emergency food and healthcare to children in countries that had been devastated by World War II...
. After conducting constituency work, she became 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 Ewart-Biggs, of Ellis Green in the county of Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, on 22 May 1981, making her maiden speech 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....
on Britain in the European Economic Community
European Economic Community
The European Economic Community The European Economic Community (EEC) The European Economic Community (EEC) (also known as the Common Market in the English-speaking world, renamed the European Community (EC) in 1993The information in this article primarily covers the EEC's time as an independent...
on 17 June. She spoke on home affairs, Ireland and was on committees dedicated to helping people. In 1983 she was appointed Labour front-bench spokesman on home affairs, and additionally consumer affairs and overseas development in 1987. In 1988 she became an opposition whip.
Ewart-Biggs was described by fellow peer Alma Birk
Alma Birk
Alma Lillian Birk, Baroness Birk was a British Labour Party politician and Government minister.Birk was educated at South Hampstead High School and at the London School of Economics...
as "considerate, helpful and with a sense of humour" and said that "she was a popular and highly regarded member of the House of Lords (where I first met her) and much loved by the Labour group of peers".
In 1991, she was diagnosed with cancer. She married Kevin Patrick O'Sullivan, a consulting engineer and her partner for 14 years, on 18 September 1992, and three weeks later she died in Charing Cross Hospital
Charing Cross Hospital
Charing Cross Hospital is a general, acute hospital located in London, United Kingdom and established in 1818. It is located several miles to the west of the city centre in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham....
.