Elisabeth Rivers-Bulkeley
Encyclopedia
Elisabeth Charlotte Marie Rivers-Bulkeley (30 April 1924 - 19 December 2006) was a stock broker
. Born in Austria
, she lived most of her life in the United Kingdom
. She was one of the first ten women to become a member of the London Stock Exchange
, on 26 March 1973. She also wrote and broadcast on financial and investment matters for women.
After she was diagnosed with a terminal illness, she attended the Dignitas clinic in Switzerland
, which assisted
her to commit suicide
.
. Her father was a car manufacturer with anti-Nazi views. He disappeared in around 1942, and could not be located after the end of the Second World War
. Her mother survived the war.
She was educated at St George's School in Clarens, Switzerland
. She won the Austrian women's ice skating
championships three times, and later enjoyed skiing
and swimming. Aged 14, she visited England in 1938 with the intention of returning to school in Switzerland
, but remained in England after Germany invaded Austria
. She joined the school at its new base at Onslow Hall in Shropshire
. She was classed as an enemy alien
in 1940. She became a driver in the ATS
after leaving school in 1942.
She married Lieutenant Commander John Langford-Holt
in 1943. She assisted with his successful campaign to be elected as Conservative
MP
for Shrewsbury
in the 1945 general election. She was presented at court
in 1947. The couple were divorced in 1951.
She remarried, to Major Robert Rivers-Bulkeley, shortly after he retired from the Scots Guards
. They farmed pigs in the Scottish Borders
for five years before selling up in 1956. The couple moved to London
, where her husband became an underwriter at Lloyd's of London
.
firm of Hedderwick, Borthwick & Co in October 1957. She became a successful broker
, and also wrote columns of investment and financial management for women for The Daily Telegraph
, undertook lecture tours, and appeared Woman's Hour
on BBC Radio 4
and The Money Programme
on BBC television
. The couple kept a house on the French Riviera
, at Tourrettes-sur-Loup
. She was a founder member of Annabel's
nightclub
in 1962.
After spending some time on Wall Street
with W. E. Hutton & Co, she was elected as a registered representative of the New York Stock Exchange
in 1969. After several unsuccessful applications, she was one of the first ten women to be elected as a member of the London Stock Exchange
on 26 March 1973. By that time, she was a partner with brokers Capel-Cure, Garden & Co. Previously, the London Stock Exchange had turned down applications by women, on account of its lack of "facilities" for women members. The exchange also objected to Rivers-Bulkeley's foreign roots, and the risky nature of her husband's occupation. The policy was changed after the London Stock Exchange merged with the Birmingham Stock Exchange and several other regional British stock exchanges, some of which already had female members.
, near Aberlady
in East Lothian
.
Diagnosed with a terminal illness, she chose to attend the Dignitas clinic in Switzerland, which assisted
her to commit suicide
by drinking a lethal mixture of barbiturate
s. She had no children, and was survived by her husband.
Stock broker
A stock broker or stockbroker is a regulated professional broker who buys and sells shares and other securities through market makers or Agency Only Firms on behalf of investors...
. Born in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, she lived most of her life in the United Kingdom
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...
. She was one of the first ten women to become a member of the London Stock Exchange
London Stock Exchange
The London Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located in the City of London within the United Kingdom. , the Exchange had a market capitalisation of US$3.7495 trillion, making it the fourth-largest stock exchange in the world by this measurement...
, on 26 March 1973. She also wrote and broadcast on financial and investment matters for women.
After she was diagnosed with a terminal illness, she attended the Dignitas clinic in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, which assisted
Assisted suicide
Assisted suicide is the common term for actions by which an individual helps another person voluntarily bring about his or her own death. "Assistance" may mean providing one with the means to end one's own life, but may extend to other actions. It differs to euthanasia where another person ends...
her to commit suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
.
Early life
She was born Elisabeth (Liesl) Charlotte Marie Neustadtl in ViennaVienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. Her father was a car manufacturer with anti-Nazi views. He disappeared in around 1942, and could not be located after the end of the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Her mother survived the war.
She was educated at St George's School in Clarens, Switzerland
Clarens, Switzerland
Clarens is a small village in the municipality of Montreux, in the canton of Vaud, in Switzerland.Whilst in Clarens, the Russian composer Igor Stravinsky wrote his ballets The Rite of Spring and Pulcinella and in March 1878, Tchaikovsky wrote his Violin Concerto.Paul Kruger, hero of South African...
. She won the Austrian women's ice skating
Ice skating
Ice skating is moving on ice by using ice skates. It can be done for a variety of reasons, including leisure, traveling, and various sports. Ice skating occurs both on specially prepared indoor and outdoor tracks, as well as on naturally occurring bodies of frozen water, such as lakes and...
championships three times, and later enjoyed skiing
Skiing
Skiing is a recreational activity using skis as equipment for traveling over snow. Skis are used in conjunction with boots that connect to the ski with use of a binding....
and swimming. Aged 14, she visited England in 1938 with the intention of returning to school in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, but remained in England after Germany invaded Austria
Anschluss
The Anschluss , also known as the ', was the occupation and annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany in 1938....
. She joined the school at its new base at Onslow Hall in Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
. She was classed as an enemy alien
Enemy alien
In law, an enemy alien is a citizen of a country which is in a state of conflict with the land in which he or she is located. Usually, but not always, the countries are in a state of declared war.-United Kingdom:...
in 1940. She became a driver in the ATS
Auxiliary Territorial Service
The Auxiliary Territorial Service was the women's branch of the British Army during the Second World War...
after leaving school in 1942.
She married Lieutenant Commander John Langford-Holt
John Langford-Holt
Sir John Anthony Langford-Holt was a British Conservative Member of Parliament for Shrewsbury from 1945 to 1983. Unlike most other members of Parliament, Sir John made it clear that he would never seek ministerial office and would refuse it he were offered such a post.He was born in Studdale,...
in 1943. She assisted with his successful campaign to be elected as Conservative
Conservative 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
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
for Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury (UK Parliament constituency)
Shrewsbury was a parliamentary constituency in England, centred on the town of Shrewsbury in Shropshire.It was founded in 1290 as parliamentary borough, returning two members to the House of Commons of England until 1707, then of the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and of the...
in the 1945 general election. She was presented at court
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...
in 1947. The couple were divorced in 1951.
She remarried, to Major Robert Rivers-Bulkeley, shortly after he retired from the Scots Guards
Scots Guards
The Scots Guards is a regiment of the Guards Division of the British Army, whose origins lie in the personal bodyguard of King Charles I of England and Scotland...
. They farmed pigs in the Scottish Borders
Scottish Borders
The Scottish Borders is one of 32 local government council areas of Scotland. It is bordered by Dumfries and Galloway in the west, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian in the north west, City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian to the north; and the non-metropolitan counties of Northumberland...
for five years before selling up in 1956. The couple moved to 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...
, where her husband became an underwriter at Lloyd's of London
Lloyd's of London
Lloyd's, also known as Lloyd's of London, is a British insurance and reinsurance market. It serves as a partially mutualised marketplace where multiple financial backers, underwriters, or members, whether individuals or corporations, come together to pool and spread risk...
.
Business career
Rivers-Bulkeley joined the stock exchangeStock exchange
A stock exchange is an entity that provides services for stock brokers and traders to trade stocks, bonds, and other securities. Stock exchanges also provide facilities for issue and redemption of securities and other financial instruments, and capital events including the payment of income and...
firm of Hedderwick, Borthwick & Co in October 1957. She became a successful broker
Broker
A broker is a party that arranges transactions between a buyer and a seller, and gets a commission when the deal is executed. A broker who also acts as a seller or as a buyer becomes a principal party to the deal...
, and also wrote columns of investment and financial management for women for The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
, undertook lecture tours, and appeared Woman's Hour
Woman's Hour
Woman's Hour is a radio magazine programme broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in the United Kingdom.-History:Created by Norman Collins and originally presented by Alan Ivimey the programme was first broadcast on 7 October 1946 on the BBC's Light Programme . It was transferred to its current home in 1973...
on BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
and The Money Programme
The Money Programme
The Money Programme is a finance and business affairs television programme on BBC2.It was first broadcast on 5 April 1966 and presented by "commentators" William Davis, Erskine Childers and Joe Roeber. At this time David Attenborough was the controller of BBC2...
on BBC television
BBC Television
BBC Television is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation. The corporation, which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927, has produced television programmes from its own studios since 1932, although the start of its regular service of television...
. The couple kept a house on the French Riviera
French Riviera
The Côte d'Azur, pronounced , often known in English as the French Riviera , is the Mediterranean coastline of the southeast corner of France, also including the sovereign state of Monaco...
, at Tourrettes-sur-Loup
Tourrettes-sur-Loup
Tourrettes-sur-Loup is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France.This is an artisan's village situated near Grasse. It features medieval and romanesque buildings.-Population:-External links:*...
. She was a founder member of Annabel's
Annabel's
Annabel's is a London nightclub, located at 44 Berkeley Square, London. It was founded by entrepreneur Mark Birley and named after Lady Annabel Vane-Tempest-Stewart, then his wife.-Background:...
nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
in 1962.
After spending some time on Wall Street
Wall Street
Wall Street refers to the financial district of New York City, named after and centered on the eight-block-long street running from Broadway to South Street on the East River in Lower Manhattan. Over time, the term has become a metonym for the financial markets of the United States as a whole, or...
with W. E. Hutton & Co, she was elected as a registered representative of the New York Stock Exchange
New York Stock Exchange
The New York Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located at 11 Wall Street in Lower Manhattan, New York City, USA. It is by far the world's largest stock exchange by market capitalization of its listed companies at 13.39 trillion as of Dec 2010...
in 1969. After several unsuccessful applications, she was one of the first ten women to be elected as a member of the London Stock Exchange
London Stock Exchange
The London Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located in the City of London within the United Kingdom. , the Exchange had a market capitalisation of US$3.7495 trillion, making it the fourth-largest stock exchange in the world by this measurement...
on 26 March 1973. By that time, she was a partner with brokers Capel-Cure, Garden & Co. Previously, the London Stock Exchange had turned down applications by women, on account of its lack of "facilities" for women members. The exchange also objected to Rivers-Bulkeley's foreign roots, and the risky nature of her husband's occupation. The policy was changed after the London Stock Exchange merged with the Birmingham Stock Exchange and several other regional British stock exchanges, some of which already had female members.
Later life
In retirement, she moved to Scotland with her husband, living in the grounds of Gosford HouseGosford House
Gosford House is the family seat of the Charteris family and is situated near Longniddry in East Lothian, Scotland. It was recently the home of the late Rt. Hon. David Charteris, 12th Earl of Wemyss and 8th Earl of March, chief of the name and arms of Charteris.Gosford was built by the 7th Earl of...
, near Aberlady
Aberlady
Aberlady is a coastal village in the Scottish council area of East Lothian. On Aberlady Bay, it is five miles northwest of Haddington and approximately 18 miles east of Edinburgh, to which it is linked by the A198 Dunbar - Edinburgh road.Aberlady Parish Church dates back to the 15th century. It...
in East Lothian
East Lothian
East Lothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy Area. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Scottish Borders and Midlothian. Its administrative centre is Haddington, although its largest town is Musselburgh....
.
Diagnosed with a terminal illness, she chose to attend the Dignitas clinic in Switzerland, which assisted
Assisted suicide
Assisted suicide is the common term for actions by which an individual helps another person voluntarily bring about his or her own death. "Assistance" may mean providing one with the means to end one's own life, but may extend to other actions. It differs to euthanasia where another person ends...
her to commit suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
by drinking a lethal mixture of barbiturate
Barbiturate
Barbiturates are drugs that act as central nervous system depressants, and can therefore produce a wide spectrum of effects, from mild sedation to total anesthesia. They are also effective as anxiolytics, as hypnotics, and as anticonvulsants...
s. She had no children, and was survived by her husband.