Judith Hart
Encyclopedia
Judith Hart, Baroness Hart of South Lanark DBE PC
(née Ridehalgh; 18 September 1924 – 8 December 1991) was a British
Labour Party
politician. She served as a government minister during the 1960s and 1970s before entering the House of Lords
in 1988.
, the London School of Economics
and the University of London
. She adopted the name Judith, aged twelve and married Anthony Bernard Hart in 1946. She was a lecturer at a teacher training college. She was a member of the Fabian Society
and a branch secretary of the Association of Scientific Workers
.
aged 18, Hart was unsuccessful Labour candidate for Bournemouth West in 1951, and Aberdeen South
in 1955. She was elected as member for Lanark
in 1959, holding the seat until 1983. Thereafter she sat for Clydesdale
until 1987.
She held ministerial office as joint Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland
from 1964 to 1966, Minister of State
, Commonwealth Office (1966–1967), Minister of Social Security
(1967–1968), Paymaster-General
(with a seat in the Cabinet) from 1968 to 1969, and as Minister of Overseas Development
from 1969 to 1970, 1974 to 1975 and 1977 to 1979. In so doing, Hart became the fifth woman ever to have been included in a government cabinet in the history of Britain.
In opposition, Hart was front bench spokesman on overseas aid from 1979 to 1980. Govt Co-Chairman of the Women's National Commission
, 1969-70. Within the Labour Party she was a member of the National Executive Committee
(1969–1983), serving as Vice-Chairman from 1980 to 1981 and as Chairman from 1981 to 1982.
She was appointed a Privy Counsellor
in 1967 and appointed a DBE
in 1979. On 8 February 1988, she was created a life peer
, as Baroness Hart of South Lanark, of Lanark in the County of Lanark
.
She died of cancer at the Queen Mary's Hospital
, Roehampton
, London
, in 1991, aged 67.
wrote the following poem mentioning Judith Hart:
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
(née Ridehalgh; 18 September 1924 – 8 December 1991) 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...
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...
politician. She served as a government minister during the 1960s and 1970s before entering 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....
in 1988.
Early life and education
Born as Constance Mary Ridehalgh, she was educated at Clitheroe Royal Grammar SchoolClitheroe Royal Grammar School
See Royal Grammar School for the other schools with the name RGS.Clitheroe Royal Grammar School is a co-educational secondary school in Clitheroe, Lancashire that used to be an all boys school...
, the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The 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...
and the 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...
. She adopted the name Judith, aged twelve and married Anthony Bernard Hart in 1946. She was a lecturer at a teacher training college. She was a member of the 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...
and a branch secretary of the Association of Scientific Workers
Association of Scientific Workers
The Association of Scientific Workers was a trade union in the UK. It was founded as the National Union of Scientific Workers in 1918, changing its name to the Association of Scientific Workers in 1927....
.
Political career
After joining 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...
aged 18, Hart was unsuccessful Labour candidate for Bournemouth West in 1951, and Aberdeen South
Aberdeen South (UK Parliament constituency)
Aberdeen South is a burgh constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and it elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...
in 1955. She was elected as member for Lanark
Lanark (UK Parliament constituency)
Lanark was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1918 to 1983. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post voting system....
in 1959, holding the seat until 1983. Thereafter she sat for Clydesdale
Clydesdale (UK Parliament constituency)
Clydesdale was a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1983 until 2005, when it was redistributed to Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale & Tweeddale, Lanark & Hamilton East and East Kilbride, Strathaven & Lesmahagow as part of a major...
until 1987.
She held ministerial office as joint Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland
Under-Secretary of State for Scotland
The Under-Secretary of State for Scotland is a junior ministerial post in the United Kingdom government, supporting the Secretary of State for Scotland...
from 1964 to 1966, Minister of State
Minister of State
Minister of State is a title borne by politicians or officials in certain countries governed under a parliamentary system. In some countries a "minister of state" is a junior minister, who is assigned to assist a specific cabinet minister...
, Commonwealth Office (1966–1967), Minister of Social Security
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions is a post in the British Cabinet, responsible for the Department for Work and Pensions. It was created on 8 June 2001 by the merger of the Employment part of the Department for Education and Employment and the Department of Social Security.The Ministry...
(1967–1968), Paymaster-General
Paymaster-General
HM Paymaster General is a ministerial position in the United Kingdom. The Paymaster General is in charge of the Office of HM Paymaster General , which held accounts at the Bank of England on behalf of Government departments and selected other public bodies...
(with a seat in the Cabinet) from 1968 to 1969, and as Minister of Overseas Development
Secretary of State for International Development
In the United Kingdom, the Secretary of State for International Development is a Cabinet minister responsible for the Department for International Development and for promoting development overseas, particularly in the third world...
from 1969 to 1970, 1974 to 1975 and 1977 to 1979. In so doing, Hart became the fifth woman ever to have been included in a government cabinet in the history of Britain.
In opposition, Hart was front bench spokesman on overseas aid from 1979 to 1980. Govt Co-Chairman of the Women's National Commission
Women's National Commission
The Women's National Commission was a United Kingdom advisory non-departmental public body , it was set up in 1969 to advise government on women's views and to act as an umbrella body for UK-based women's groups in their dealings with government....
, 1969-70. Within the Labour Party she was a member of the National Executive Committee
National Executive Committee
The National Executive Committee or NEC is the chief administrative body of the UK Labour Party. Its composition has changed over the years, and includes representatives of affiliated trade unions, the Parliamentary Labour Party and European Parliamentary Labour Party, Constituency Labour Parties,...
(1969–1983), serving as Vice-Chairman from 1980 to 1981 and as Chairman from 1981 to 1982.
She was appointed a Privy Counsellor
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
in 1967 and appointed a DBE
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...
in 1979. On 8 February 1988, 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 Hart of South Lanark, of Lanark in the County of Lanark
Lanark
Lanark is a small town in the central belt of Scotland. Its population of 8,253 makes it the 100th largest settlement in Scotland. The name is believed to come from the Cumbric Lanerc meaning "clear space, glade"....
.
She died of cancer at the Queen Mary's Hospital
Queen Mary's Hospital
Queen Mary's Hospital Roehampton is a hospital in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1915 to provide care for wounded soldiers, it became a world renowned limb fitting and amputee rehabilitation centre. Recently rebuilt and modernized it has become a unit of the Wandsworth Primary Care Trust...
, Roehampton
Roehampton
Roehampton is a district in south-west London, forming the western end of the London Borough of Wandsworth. It lies between the town of Barnes to the north, Putney to the east and Wimbledon Common to the south. The Richmond Park golf courses are west of the neighbourhood, and just south of these is...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, in 1991, aged 67.
Titles and honours
- Miss Judith Ridehalgh (1924–1946)
- Mrs Judith Hart (1946–1959)
- Judith Hart MP (1959–1967)
- The Rt. Hon. Judith Hart MP (1967–1979)
- The Rt. Hon. Dame Judith Hart DBE MP (1979–1988)
- The Rt. Hon. The Baroness Hart of South Lanark DBE PC (1988–1991)
Spike Milligan poem
Spike MilliganSpike Milligan
Terence Alan Patrick Seán "Spike" Milligan Hon. KBE was a comedian, writer, musician, poet, playwright, soldier and actor. His early life was spent in India, where he was born, but the majority of his working life was spent in the United Kingdom. He became an Irish citizen in 1962 after the...
wrote the following poem mentioning Judith Hart:
- Judith Hart once made for me
- An early morning cup of tea.
- It isn't every day that we
- Are waited on by an MP.