Isobel Cripps
Encyclopedia
Dame Isobel Cripps, GBE
(25 January 1891 – 11 April 1979), also known as Lady Cripps, was a British overseas aid organiser and the wife of Sir Stafford Cripps
.
Born as Isobel Swithinbank at Denham, Buckinghamshire
, she was the second daughter and the youngest of three children of Commander Harold William Swithinbank, DL (1858 – 1928), a landowner of Denham Court, and his wife, Amy, the daughter of James Crossley Eno, inventor of Eno
fruit salts. She was educated privately and at the Heathfield School, near Ascot
.
Swithinbank met Stafford Cripps in January 1910. His father, Charles Cripps
, was standing in the Conservative
interest for Wycombe
, with Stafford supporting his father's candidature; among the campaign helpers was Isobel. The pair corresponded and she visited the Cripps home at Parmoor
. The following year, both were members of a family party which went to the winter sports in Switzerland
and they soon became engaged. The couple married on 12 July 1911 at Denham parish church.
, Lady Cripps was president of the British United Aid to China Fund, and in June 1946, was appointed a GBE
for her public services. Later that year, she undertook an extensive tour of China
where she was the guest of General and Madame Chiang Kai-shek
. During her tour, she was invited by Mao Zedong
to visit Yenan and was welcomed on her arrival by Madame Jiang
. She was later Chairwoman of the Sino-British Fellowship Trust for some years. Following the marriage of her daughter, Peggy
, to Joe Appiah
, Lady Cripps developed an interest in affairs in Ghana
and visited Appiah in Accra
when he was being held under a preventive detention order.
, she was also appointed a Special Grand Cordon of the Order of the Brilliant Star, first class. In 1946 she was given the award of the National Committee of India in celebration of International Women's Year
.
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...
(25 January 1891 – 11 April 1979), also known as Lady Cripps, was a British overseas aid organiser and the wife of Sir Stafford Cripps
Stafford Cripps
Sir Richard Stafford Cripps was a British Labour politician of the first half of the 20th century. During World War II he served in a number of positions in the wartime coalition, including Ambassador to the Soviet Union and Minister of Aircraft Production...
.
Born as Isobel Swithinbank at Denham, Buckinghamshire
Denham, Buckinghamshire
Denham is a village and civil parish in the South Buckinghamshire district of Buckinghamshire, England. It is north west of Uxbridge and north of junction 1 of the M40 motorway. Denham contains the Buckinghamshire Golf Club.-Origin:...
, she was the second daughter and the youngest of three children of Commander Harold William Swithinbank, DL (1858 – 1928), a landowner of Denham Court, and his wife, Amy, the daughter of James Crossley Eno, inventor of Eno
Eno (drug)
Eno is the most global of GSK's gastrointestinal products. The fast-acting effervescent fruit salts, used as an antacid and reliever of bloatedness, was invented in the 1850s by James Crossley Eno...
fruit salts. She was educated privately and at the Heathfield School, near Ascot
Ascot, Berkshire
Ascot is a village within the civil parish of Sunninghill and Ascot, in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, Berkshire, England. It is most notable as the location of Ascot Racecourse, home of the prestigious Royal Ascot meeting...
.
Swithinbank met Stafford Cripps in January 1910. His father, Charles Cripps
Charles Cripps, 1st Baron Parmoor
Charles Alfred Cripps, 1st Baron Parmoor KCVO, PC, QC was a British politician who crossed the floor from the Conservative to the Labour Party and was a strong supporter of the League of Nations and of Church of England causes....
, was standing in the 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...
interest for Wycombe
Wycombe (UK Parliament constituency)
Wycombe is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It currently elects one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post system of elections....
, with Stafford supporting his father's candidature; among the campaign helpers was Isobel. The pair corresponded and she visited the Cripps home at Parmoor
Parmoor
Parmoor is a hamlet to the south of Frieth in the parish of Hambleden, in Buckinghamshire, England....
. The following year, both were members of a family party which went to the winter sports 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....
and they soon became engaged. The couple married on 12 July 1911 at Denham parish church.
International interests and affiliations
During World War IIWorld 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...
, Lady Cripps was president of the British United Aid to China Fund, and in June 1946, was appointed a GBE
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...
for her public services. Later that year, she undertook an extensive tour of China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
where she was the guest of General and Madame Chiang Kai-shek
Chiang Kai-shek
Chiang Kai-shek was a political and military leader of 20th century China. He is known as Jiǎng Jièshí or Jiǎng Zhōngzhèng in Mandarin....
. During her tour, she was invited by Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong, also transliterated as Mao Tse-tung , and commonly referred to as Chairman Mao , was a Chinese Communist revolutionary, guerrilla warfare strategist, Marxist political philosopher, and leader of the Chinese Revolution...
to visit Yenan and was welcomed on her arrival by Madame Jiang
Jiang Qing
Jiang Qing was the pseudonym that was used by Chinese leader Mao Zedong's last wife and major Communist Party of China power figure. She went by the stage name Lan Ping during her acting career, and was known by various other names during her life...
. She was later Chairwoman of the Sino-British Fellowship Trust for some years. Following the marriage of her daughter, Peggy
Peggy Cripps
Enid Margaret "Peggy" Appiah, MBE was a British children's author, philanthropist and socialite. She was the daughter of the Right Honourable Sir Stafford Cripps and Isobel, the Honourable Lady Cripps, and the wife of Ghanaian lawyer and political activist Nana Joe Appiah.-Early life:Enid...
, to Joe Appiah
Joe Appiah
Nana Joseph Emmanuel "Joe" Appiah, MP was a Ghanaian lawyer, politician and statesman. He was born in Kumasi to Nana James Appiah and Nana Adwoa Akyaa, members of the Ashanti imperial aristocracy...
, Lady Cripps developed an interest in affairs in Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
and visited Appiah in Accra
Accra
Accra is the capital and largest city of Ghana, with an urban population of 1,658,937 according to the 2000 census. Accra is also the capital of the Greater Accra Region and of the Accra Metropolitan District, with which it is coterminous...
when he was being held under a preventive detention order.
Honours/awards
In addition to her appointment as a GBEOrder 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...
, she was also appointed a Special Grand Cordon of the Order of the Brilliant Star, first class. In 1946 she was given the award of the National Committee of India in celebration of International Women's Year
International Women's Year
International Women's Year was the name given to 1975 by the United Nations. Since that year March 8 has been celebrated as International Women's Day, and the United Nations Decade for Women, from 1976–1985, was also established.-International:...
.
Source
- Colin Watson, Cripps, Dame Isobel, Lady Cripps (1891–1979) Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University PressOxford University PressOxford University Press is the largest university press in the world. It is a department of the University of Oxford and is governed by a group of 15 academics appointed by the Vice-Chancellor known as the Delegates of the Press. They are headed by the Secretary to the Delegates, who serves as...
(2004)