Betty Lockwood, Baroness Lockwood
Encyclopedia
Betty Lockwood, Baroness Lockwood (born 22 January 1924), is a Labour Party
activist. On a national and international level she has been heavily involved in promoting equal opportunities
for women, and has supported many organizations in her native Yorkshire
.
, West Yorkshire
, the daughter of Arthur Lockwood, a coal miner, Betty Lockwood followed an unconventional route into politics
. She left Eastborough Girls School at 14, then continued her studies at night school. With the support of a Mary MacArthur scholarship
for working women, she read economics and politics at Ruskin College in Oxford
.
After attending university she became active in the Labour Party as regional women's organiser for Yorkshire, then moved to London as women's officer. She campaigned for equal pay and was instrumental in the creation of the Equal Pay Act 1970
.
From 1975 to 1983 she served as the first chair of the Equal Opportunities Commission
and was chair of the European Advisory Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men from 1982-83. In 1978 she was elevated to a life peerage as Baroness Lockwood, of Dewsbury in the County of West Yorkshire
.
Her connections with the University of Bradford
date back to 1983, when she became a member of its council and she served as Chancellor
of the university from 1997, being succeeded in 2005 by the former Pakistan international cricketer
and politician Imran Khan.
She is currently Chair of the National Coal Mining Museum for England
. She has received four honorary doctorates and is President of the Yorkshire Arthritis Research Campaign
. She is also a member of Soroptimist
International, a group working to advance the status of women and is a patron of the Born in Bradford
research project. She lists her hobbies as enjoying the Yorkshire Dales
and opera
.
She married Lieutenant-Colonel Cedric Hall in 1978. He died in 1988.
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...
activist. On a national and international level she has been heavily involved in promoting equal opportunities
Equal opportunity
Equal opportunity, or equality of opportunity, is a controversial political concept; and an important informal decision-making standard without a precise definition involving fair choices within the public sphere...
for women, and has supported many organizations in her native Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
.
Biography
Born in DewsburyDewsbury
Dewsbury is a minster town in the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England. It is to the west of Wakefield, east of Huddersfield and south of Leeds...
, West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
, the daughter of Arthur Lockwood, a coal miner, Betty Lockwood followed an unconventional route into politics
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
. She left Eastborough Girls School at 14, then continued her studies at night school. With the support of a Mary MacArthur scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
for working women, she read economics and politics at Ruskin College in Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
.
After attending university she became active in the Labour Party as regional women's organiser for Yorkshire, then moved to London as women's officer. She campaigned for equal pay and was instrumental in the creation of the Equal Pay Act 1970
Equal Pay Act 1970
The Equal Pay Act 1970 is an Act of the United Kingdom Parliament which prohibits any less favourable treatment between men and women in terms of pay and conditions of employment. It was passed by Parliament in the aftermath of the 1968 Ford sewing machinists strike and came into force on 29...
.
From 1975 to 1983 she served as the first chair of the Equal Opportunities Commission
Equal Opportunities Commission
The Equal Opportunities Commission was an independent non-departmental public body, in the United Kingdom, which tackled sex discrimination and promoted gender equality...
and was chair of the European Advisory Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men from 1982-83. In 1978 she was elevated to a life peerage as Baroness Lockwood, of Dewsbury in the County of West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
.
Her connections with the University of Bradford
University of Bradford
The University of Bradford is a British university located in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. The University received its Royal Charter in 1966, making it the 40th University to be created in Britain, but its origins date back to the early 1800s...
date back to 1983, when she became a member of its council and she served as Chancellor
Chancellor (education)
A chancellor or vice-chancellor is the chief executive of a university. Other titles are sometimes used, such as president or rector....
of the university from 1997, being succeeded in 2005 by the former Pakistan international cricketer
Pakistani cricket team
The Pakistan cricket team is the national cricket team of Pakistan. Pakistan, represented by the Pakistan Cricket Board , is a full member of the International Cricket Council, and thus participates in , and cricket matches....
and politician Imran Khan.
She is currently Chair of the National Coal Mining Museum for England
National Coal Mining Museum for England
The National Coal Mining Museum for England is based at the site of Caphouse Colliery in Overton, near Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England. It opened in 1988 as the Yorkshire Mining Museum and was granted national status in 1995.-History:...
. She has received four honorary doctorates and is President of the Yorkshire Arthritis Research Campaign
Arthritis Research Campaign
The organisation formerly known as Arthritis Research Campaign is a British medical research charity dedicated to curing arthritis....
. She is also a member of Soroptimist
Soroptimist
Founded in 1921, Soroptimist International is a world-wide volunteer service organization for business and professional women who work to improve the lives of women and girls, in local communities and throughout the world...
International, a group working to advance the status of women and is a patron of the Born in Bradford
Born in Bradford
Born in Bradford is a large birth cohort study based at Bradford Royal Infirmary, a hospital in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire in the United Kingdom...
research project. She lists her hobbies as enjoying the Yorkshire Dales
Yorkshire Dales
The Yorkshire Dales is the name given to an upland area in Northern England.The area lies within the historic county boundaries of Yorkshire, though it spans the ceremonial counties of North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire and Cumbria...
and opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
.
She married Lieutenant-Colonel Cedric Hall in 1978. He died in 1988.