Frances D'Souza, Baroness D'Souza
Encyclopedia
Frances Gertrude Claire D'Souza, Baroness D'Souza, CMG
, PC
(born 18 April 1944) is a British
scientist and life peer
in the House of Lords
. She is currently Lord Speaker
, having taken office on 1 September 2011.
, Sussex and Pauline Russell (née Parmet) was educated at St Mary's School, Princethorpe
and went to University College, London to read Anthropology
, graduating BSc in 1970. She subsequently undertook further study at Lady Margaret Hall, obtaining the degree of Doctor of Philosophy
(D.Phil.) in 1976 from the University of Oxford
.
D'Souza worked for the Nuffield Institute of Comparative Medicine from 1973-77, Oxford Polytechnic (now Oxford Brookes University) from 1977-80 and was an independent research consultant for the UN from 1985-88.
In 1959 she married Dr Stanley D'Souza (of Portuguese
descent). They had two children together but divorced in 1974. Between 1985-93 she was married to Martin John Griffiths. In 2003 she re-married her first husband.
Lady D'Souza was invested as a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1999.
as Baroness D'Souza, of Wychwood in the County of Oxfordshire
on 1 July 2004. She sits as a crossbencher in the House of Lords
, where she was the Convenor of the Crossbench Peers. Her attendance in the Lords is "well above average".
On 13 July 2011, D'Souza was elected
Lord Speaker
of the House of Lords. She began her new role on September 1st.
and in Northern Ireland
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
, PC
Privy council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...
(born 18 April 1944) is 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...
scientist and life peer
Peerage of the United Kingdom
The Peerage of the United Kingdom comprises most peerages created in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland after the Act of Union in 1801, when it replaced the Peerage of Great Britain...
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....
. She is currently Lord Speaker
Lord Speaker
The Lord Speaker is the speaker of the House of Lords in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The office is analogous to the Speaker of the House of Commons: the Lord Speaker is elected by the members of the House of Lords and is expected to be politically impartial.Until July 2006, the role of...
, having taken office on 1 September 2011.
Biography
Frances Gertrude Claire Russell, the daughter of Robert Anthony Gilbert Russell, of ArdinglyArdingly
Ardingly is a village and civil parish in the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty about north of Haywards Heath in the Mid Sussex district of West Sussex, England. The village is about south of London, south-south-west of East Grinstead, southeast of Crawley, north of Brighton and ...
, Sussex and Pauline Russell (née Parmet) was educated at St Mary's School, Princethorpe
Princethorpe
Princethorpe is a village and civil parish in the Rugby district of Warwickshire, England. In 2001 the parish had a population of 382.Princethorpe is located roughly halfway between the towns of Rugby and Leamington Spa and is at a crossroads between the A423, B4453 and B4455 roads...
and went to University College, London to read Anthropology
Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
, graduating BSc in 1970. She subsequently undertook further study at Lady Margaret Hall, obtaining the degree of Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
(D.Phil.) in 1976 from the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
.
D'Souza worked for the Nuffield Institute of Comparative Medicine from 1973-77, Oxford Polytechnic (now Oxford Brookes University) from 1977-80 and was an independent research consultant for the UN from 1985-88.
In 1959 she married Dr Stanley D'Souza (of Portuguese
Portuguese people
The Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
descent). They had two children together but divorced in 1974. Between 1985-93 she was married to Martin John Griffiths. In 2003 she re-married her first husband.
Lady D'Souza was invested as a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1999.
Lords career
D'Souza was created a Life PeerLife 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 D'Souza, of Wychwood in the County of Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
on 1 July 2004. She sits as a crossbencher 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....
, where she was the Convenor of the Crossbench Peers. Her attendance in the Lords is "well above average".
On 13 July 2011, D'Souza was elected
Lord Speaker election, 2011
An election for Lord Speaker, the presiding officer of the House of Lords took place on 13 July 2011, with the result announced five days later. Baroness D'Souza, Convenor of the Crossbench Peers was elected after the 5th stage of counting...
Lord Speaker
Lord Speaker
The Lord Speaker is the speaker of the House of Lords in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The office is analogous to the Speaker of the House of Commons: the Lord Speaker is elected by the members of the House of Lords and is expected to be politically impartial.Until July 2006, the role of...
of the House of Lords. She began her new role on September 1st.
Offices held
in England and WalesOrder of precedence in England and Wales
The Order of precedence in England and Wales as of 11 May 2010:Names in italics indicate higher precedence elsewhere in the table or precedence in the table for the other sex.- Royal Family :* The Sovereign , regardless of gender...
and in Northern Ireland
Order of precedence in Northern Ireland
The order of precedence in Northern Ireland:-Gentlemen:#The Sovereign #The Duke of Edinburgh#Sons of the Sovereign##The Prince of Wales##The Duke of York##The Earl of Wessex#Grandsons of the Sovereign##The Duke of Cambridge...