Irene Ward
Encyclopedia
Irene Mary Bewick Ward, Baroness Ward of North Tyneside, CH
, DBE
(23 February 1895–26 April 1980) was a British Conservative
politician. She was a long-serving Member of Parliament
(MP).
Ward was educated privately and at Newcastle Church High School. She contested Morpeth
in 1924 and 1929 without success and was elected to the House of Commons in 1931 for Wallsend
, defeating Labour
's Margaret Bondfield
. A strong advocate for Tyneside
industry and social conditions, she lost her seat in the 1945 Labour takeover of Parliament
.
In 1950, Ward returned to Parliament for Tynemouth
, again defeating a female incumbent, Grace Colman. An active backbencher, she introduced the bill that became the Rights of Entry (Gas and Electricity Boards) Act, 1954. She promoted a Bill to pay pocket money
to the elderly living in institutions. She also promoted the Nurses (Amendment) Act, 1961 and the Penalties for Drunkenness Act, 1962. She served on the influential Public Accounts Committee from 1964.
She is remembered in some quarters for an incident which caused amusement on both sides of the House when she threatened to "poke" the then Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson
. Having received an evasive answer to a parliamentary question, she responded with the words: "I will poke the Prime Minister. I will poke him until I get a response."
Ward retired from the Commons in February 1974, having served a total of almost 38 years. She was the longest-serving woman MP (Mother of the House) until that record was broken by Gwyneth Dunwoody
in 2007. Aged 79 at her retirement, Ward was the oldest-ever serving female Member of Parliament, the oldest-ever woman to be re-elected, and also the oldest sitting member at that time.
as Baroness Ward of North Tyneside, of North Tyneside
in the County of Tyne and Wear
in 1975.
in 1929 and the DBE
in 1955, and was made a Companion of Honour
in 1973.
Order of the Companions of Honour
The Order of the Companions of Honour is an order of the Commonwealth realms. It was founded by King George V in June 1917, as a reward for outstanding achievements in the arts, literature, music, science, politics, industry or religion....
, 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...
(23 February 1895–26 April 1980) was a British 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...
politician. She was a long-serving Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP).
Ward was educated privately and at Newcastle Church High School. She contested Morpeth
Morpeth (UK Parliament constituency)
Morpeth was a borough constituency centred on the town of Morpeth in Northumberland represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of England until 1707, the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and then the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
in 1924 and 1929 without success and was elected to the House of Commons in 1931 for Wallsend
Wallsend (UK Parliament constituency)
Wallsend was a parliamentary constituency centred on Wallsend, a town on the north bank of the River Tyne in North Tyneside.It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1918 until it was abolished for the 1997 general election.It was...
, defeating Labour
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...
's Margaret Bondfield
Margaret Bondfield
Margaret Grace Bondfield was an English Labour politician and feminist, the first woman Cabinet minister in the United Kingdom and one of the first three female Labour MPs...
. A strong advocate for Tyneside
Tyneside
Tyneside is a conurbation in North East England, defined by the Office of National Statistics, which is home to over 80% of the population of Tyne and Wear. It includes the city of Newcastle upon Tyne and the Metropolitan Boroughs of Gateshead, North Tyneside and South Tyneside — all settlements on...
industry and social conditions, she lost her seat in the 1945 Labour takeover of Parliament
United Kingdom general election, 1945
The United Kingdom general election of 1945 was a general election held on 5 July 1945, with polls in some constituencies delayed until 12 July and in Nelson and Colne until 19 July, due to local wakes weeks. The results were counted and declared on 26 July, due in part to the time it took to...
.
In 1950, Ward returned to Parliament for Tynemouth
Tynemouth (UK Parliament constituency)
Tynemouth is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament using the first past the post voting system.-History:...
, again defeating a female incumbent, Grace Colman. An active backbencher, she introduced the bill that became the Rights of Entry (Gas and Electricity Boards) Act, 1954. She promoted a Bill to pay pocket money
Pocket Money
Pocket Money is a 1972 film directed by Stuart Rosenberg, from a screenplay written by Terrence Malick and based on the novel Jim Kane by Joseph P. Brown...
to the elderly living in institutions. She also promoted the Nurses (Amendment) Act, 1961 and the Penalties for Drunkenness Act, 1962. She served on the influential Public Accounts Committee from 1964.
She is remembered in some quarters for an incident which caused amusement on both sides of the House when she threatened to "poke" the then Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson
Harold Wilson
James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, KG, OBE, FRS, FSS, PC was a British Labour Member of Parliament, Leader of the Labour Party. He was twice Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the 1960s and 1970s, winning four general elections, including a minority government after the...
. Having received an evasive answer to a parliamentary question, she responded with the words: "I will poke the Prime Minister. I will poke him until I get a response."
Ward retired from the Commons in February 1974, having served a total of almost 38 years. She was the longest-serving woman MP (Mother of the House) until that record was broken by Gwyneth Dunwoody
Gwyneth Dunwoody
Gwyneth Patricia Dunwoody was a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Exeter from 1966 to 1970, and then for Crewe from 1974 to her death in 2008...
in 2007. Aged 79 at her retirement, Ward was the oldest-ever serving female Member of Parliament, the oldest-ever woman to be re-elected, and also the oldest sitting member at that time.
Life peerage
She was made 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 Ward of North Tyneside, of North Tyneside
North Tyneside
The Metropolitan Borough of North Tyneside is a metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England and is part of the Tyneside conurbation. Its seat is Wallsend Town Hall....
in the County of Tyne and Wear
Tyne and Wear
Tyne and Wear is a metropolitan county in north east England around the mouths of the Rivers Tyne and Wear. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972...
in 1975.
Honours
Ward was awarded the CBEOrder 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 1929 and the DBE
Dame (title)
The title of Dame is the female equivalent of the honour of knighthood in the British honours system . It is also the equivalent form address to 'Sir' for a knight...
in 1955, and was made a Companion of Honour
Order of the Companions of Honour
The Order of the Companions of Honour is an order of the Commonwealth realms. It was founded by King George V in June 1917, as a reward for outstanding achievements in the arts, literature, music, science, politics, industry or religion....
in 1973.