Katharine Elliot, Baroness Elliot of Harwood
Encyclopedia
Katharine Elliot, Baroness Elliot of Harwood DBE (née Tennant; 15 January 1903 – 3 January 1994) was British
public servant and politician
.
industrialist and politician, Sir Charles Tennant, Bt.
(then seventy-nine years old) and his second wife, Marguerite Miles, daughter of Colonel Charles William Miles, MP and was cousin of Sir Philip Miles
. As a child, she played in the nursery of 10, Downing Street, the home of her much older half-sister, Margot Asquith
, the wife of then Prime Minister
, H. H. Asquith
.
Tennant was educated at home by governess
es, then at Abbot's Hill School
and finally in Paris
. She was presented at court to George V
as a debutante
but later stated 'I was more interested in politics than parties' and grew up with strong Liberal
ideals. Later studying at the London School of Economics
, she was also an accomplished violin
ist, organist
, equestrienne
, golf
er and fluent in French
.
MP and Minister for Agriculture. Her husband was the son of a livestock
auctioneer and she became an expert in trading farm
animals and agricultural equipment. A donation of one shilling
was also given by almost every farmer in Britain towards a wedding present, from which she purchased a tractor
.
. Still in touch with her Liberal roots, she favoured prison reform
and was an opponent of capital punishment
. From 1939-49, Elliot was chair of the National Association of Mixed Clubs and Girls' Clubs (later known as Youth Clubs UK) and she sat on the Home Office
advisory committee on the treatment of offenders from 1946-62, during which time she visited every prison in the kingdom. She also served on the advisory committee on child care in Scotland from 1956-65, was chair of the Conservative Women's National Committee from 1954-57 and was chair of the National Union of Conservative and Unionist Associations
from 1956-67. She became the first chair of the Consumer Council in 1963. On three occasions, in 1954, 1956 and 1957, she was a member of the UK delegation to the United Nations
and in the absence of ministers during the Suez crisis
in 1956, she made a speech denouncing the Soviet invasion of Hungary
during the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. She was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire
in 1946, awarded the Grand Silver Cross of the Order of Merit of Austria in 1963.
Following the death of her husband in 1958, Elliot took over him as chair of the family auctioneering firm and stood in his place as parliamentary candidate of Glasgow Kelvingrove
, but lost by a narrow margin of votes to Mary McAlister
.
. As one of the initial four women who were created peers under the Life Peerages Act 1958
, she was the first peeress to speak in the House of Lords, the first peeress to propose the loyal address and the first peeress to pass a private bill through the House (which was at the request of Margaret Thatcher
from the House of Commons
, making the bill the first to be taken through both houses by women).
in November 1993, Elliot tripped over her parliamentary robes and fell as she left the House of Lords
. She was taken to hospital and died at Hawick
Cottage Hospital near her Scottish home of Harwood, on 3 January 1994, aged ninety. She was buried at Hobkirk
parish church on 8 January and a service of thanksgiving was held in her memory at the Church of St. Margaret, Westminster
, on 14 April.
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...
public servant and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
.
Early life
Born Katharine Tennant in 1903, she was the daughter of the ScottishScotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
industrialist and politician, Sir Charles Tennant, Bt.
Sir Charles Tennant, 1st Baronet
Sir Charles Clow Tennant, 1st Baronet Scottish businessman, industrialist and Liberal politician.-Biography:...
(then seventy-nine years old) and his second wife, Marguerite Miles, daughter of Colonel Charles William Miles, MP and was cousin of Sir Philip Miles
Sir Philip Miles, 2nd Baronet
Sir Philip John William Miles, 2nd Baronet was an English politician. Educated at Eton College and Trinity College, Cambridge, he then served in the 17th Lancers. He was a sheriff of Bristol in 1853 and partner in the family's bank, Miles & Co from 1852 - 1854...
. As a child, she played in the nursery of 10, Downing Street, the home of her much older half-sister, Margot Asquith
Margot Asquith
Margot Asquith, Countess of Oxford and Asquith , born Emma Alice Margaret Tennant, was an Anglo-Scottish socialite, author and wit...
, the wife of then Prime Minister
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...
, H. H. Asquith
H. H. Asquith
Herbert Henry Asquith, 1st Earl of Oxford and Asquith, KG, PC, KC served as the Liberal Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1908 to 1916...
.
Tennant was educated at home by governess
Governess
A governess is a girl or woman employed to teach and train children in a private household. In contrast to a nanny or a babysitter, she concentrates on teaching children, not on meeting their physical needs...
es, then at Abbot's Hill School
Abbot's Hill School
Abbot's Hill School is an independent girls' school in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom.-Abbot's Hill House:It had been the home of John Dickinson who was his own architect in its building, just east of his paper mill, Nash Mills. Construction was commenced in 1836...
and finally 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...
. She was presented at court to George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
as a debutante
Debutante
A débutante is a young lady from an aristocratic or upper class family who has reached the age of maturity, and as a new adult, is introduced to society at a formal "début" presentation. It should not be confused with a Debs...
but later stated 'I was more interested in politics than parties' and grew up with strong Liberal
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...
ideals. Later studying at 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...
, she was also an accomplished violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
ist, organist
Organist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
, equestrienne
Equestrianism
Equestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...
, golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
er and fluent in French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
.
Marriage
On 2 April 1934, Tennant married Walter Elliott, a ConservativeConservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
MP and Minister for Agriculture. Her husband was the son of a livestock
Livestock
Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
auctioneer and she became an expert in trading farm
Farm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
animals and agricultural equipment. A donation of one shilling
Shilling
The shilling is a unit of currency used in some current and former British Commonwealth countries. The word shilling comes from scilling, an accounting term that dates back to Anglo-Saxon times where it was deemed to be the value of a cow in Kent or a sheep elsewhere. The word is thought to derive...
was also given by almost every farmer in Britain towards a wedding present, from which she purchased a tractor
Tractor
A tractor is a vehicle specifically designed to deliver a high tractive effort at slow speeds, for the purposes of hauling a trailer or machinery used in agriculture or construction...
.
Politics
Elliot then became involved in Conservative affairs, wrote speeches for, and campaigned in elections for, her husband, as well as promoting his enactment of the Milk Marketing BoardMilk Marketing Board
The Milk Marketing Board was a government agency established in 1933 to control milk production and distribution in the United Kingdom. It functioned as buyer of last resort in the British milk market, thereby guaranteeing a minimum price for milk producers...
. Still in touch with her Liberal roots, she favoured prison reform
Prison reform
Prison reform is the attempt to improve conditions inside prisons, aiming at a more effective penal system.-History:Prisons have only been used as the primary punishment for criminal acts in the last couple of centuries...
and was an opponent of capital punishment
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
. From 1939-49, Elliot was chair of the National Association of Mixed Clubs and Girls' Clubs (later known as Youth Clubs UK) and she sat on the Home Office
Home Office
The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...
advisory committee on the treatment of offenders from 1946-62, during which time she visited every prison in the kingdom. She also served on the advisory committee on child care in Scotland from 1956-65, was chair of the Conservative Women's National Committee from 1954-57 and was chair of the National Union of Conservative and Unionist Associations
National Union of Conservative and Unionist Associations
The National Union of Conservative and Unionist Associations was a federation of the voluntary wing of the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom....
from 1956-67. She became the first chair of the Consumer Council in 1963. On three occasions, in 1954, 1956 and 1957, she was a member of the UK delegation to the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
and in the absence of ministers during the Suez crisis
Suez Crisis
The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, Suez War was an offensive war fought by France, the United Kingdom, and Israel against Egypt beginning on 29 October 1956. Less than a day after Israel invaded Egypt, Britain and France issued a joint ultimatum to Egypt and Israel,...
in 1956, she made a speech denouncing the Soviet invasion of Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
during the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. She was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire
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 1946, awarded the Grand Silver Cross of the Order of Merit of Austria in 1963.
Following the death of her husband in 1958, Elliot took over him as chair of the family auctioneering firm and stood in his place as parliamentary candidate of Glasgow Kelvingrove
Glasgow Kelvingrove (UK Parliament constituency)
Glasgow Kelvingrove was a burgh constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1918 until 1983. It elected one Member of Parliament using the first-past-the-post voting system.- Boundaries :...
, but lost by a narrow margin of votes to Mary McAlister
Mary McAlister
Mary Agnes McMackin McAlister CBE was an Irish-born Scottish nurse who also went into politics and was a Member of Parliament.-Family:...
.
Knighthood and ennoblement
Later in 1958, Elliot was promoted as a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire and created Baroness Elliot of Harwood, of Rulewater in the County of RoxburghRoxburghshire
Roxburghshire or the County of Roxburgh is a registration county of Scotland. It borders Dumfries to the west, Selkirk to the north-west, and Berwick to the north. To the south-east it borders Cumbria and Northumberland in England.It was named after the Royal Burgh of Roxburgh...
. As one of the initial four women who were created peers under the Life Peerages Act 1958
Life Peerages Act 1958
The Life Peerages Act 1958 established the modern standards for the creation of life peers by the monarch of the United Kingdom. Life peers are barons and are members of the House of Lords for life, but their titles and membership in the Lords are not inherited by their children. Judicial life...
, she was the first peeress to speak in the House of Lords, the first peeress to propose the loyal address and the first peeress to pass a private bill through the House (which was at the request of Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
from the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
, making the bill the first to be taken through both houses by women).
Death
At the State Opening of ParliamentState Opening of Parliament
In the United Kingdom, the State Opening of Parliament is an annual event that marks the commencement of a session of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It is held in the House of Lords Chamber, usually in November or December or, in a general election year, when the new Parliament first assembles...
in November 1993, Elliot tripped over her parliamentary robes and fell as she left 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....
. She was taken to hospital and died at Hawick
Hawick
Hawick is a town in the Scottish Borders of south east Scotland. It is south-west of Jedburgh and south-southeast of Selkirk. It is one of the farthest towns from the sea in Scotland, in the heart of Teviotdale, and the biggest town in the former county of Roxburghshire. Hawick's architecture is...
Cottage Hospital near her Scottish home of Harwood, on 3 January 1994, aged ninety. She was buried at Hobkirk
Hobkirk
Hobkirk is a village and civil parish in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland, by the Rule Water, south-west of Jedburgh and south-east of Hawick....
parish church on 8 January and a service of thanksgiving was held in her memory at the Church of St. Margaret, Westminster
St. Margaret's, Westminster
The Anglican church of St. Margaret, Westminster Abbey is situated in the grounds of Westminster Abbey on Parliament Square, and is the parish church of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom in London...
, on 14 April.