Nora David, Baroness David of Romsey
Encyclopedia
Nora Ratcliff David, Baroness David (23 September 1913 – 29 November 2009) was a British
Labour Party
politician
and life peer
.
Born Nora Ratcliff Blakesley, the daughter of a merchant, she was educated at Ashby-de-la-Zouch Girls' Grammar School
and at Saint Felix School
, Southwold
before going up to Newnham College, Cambridge
to study English
graduating in 1935. In the same year, she married Richard William David (died 1993) with whom she had two sons and two daughters.
She was a Councillor
in the city of Cambridge
from 1964–67, and from 1968–74, when she became a County Councillor in Cambridgeshire County Council
. She was a Justice of the Peace
in Cambridge from 1965 until her death.
She was raised to the life peerage as Baroness David, of Romsey in the City of Cambridge
, in 1978. She was an opposition spokesperson on education
from 1979 until 1985 and again from 1987 to 1997, and for the environment (1985–1987). She was also a government and opposition whip
from 1978 to 1987. Her political interests included education
, the environment, home affairs, and children. She was a fellow of Newnham College, Cambridge
.
Baroness David was an active member of the House of Lords
. On Wednesday 31 January 2007, she slipped and fell down an escalator on the parliamentary estate, and was subsequently rushed to hospital. Shortly after the fall she retired to Cornwall
. She died on 29 November 2009, aged 96, and was survived by two sons and two daughters.
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...
Labour Party
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...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and life peer
Life 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...
.
Born Nora Ratcliff Blakesley, the daughter of a merchant, she was educated at Ashby-de-la-Zouch Girls' Grammar School
Ashby School
Ashby School, formerly known as Ashby Grammar School, is a co-educational day and boys' boarding comprehensive school in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire, England.-Admissions:...
and at Saint Felix School
Saint Felix School
Saint Felix School is an independent school in Southwold, Suffolk.-Notable former pupils:* Jane Benham MBE - played a significant role in preserving Thames sailing barges* Natalie Caine - woodwind player...
, Southwold
Southwold
Southwold is a town on the North Sea coast, in the Waveney district of the English county of Suffolk. It is located on the North Sea coast at the mouth of the River Blyth within the Suffolk Coast and Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The town is around south of Lowestoft and north-east...
before going up to Newnham College, Cambridge
Newnham College, Cambridge
Newnham College is a women-only constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1871 by Henry Sidgwick, and was the second Cambridge college to admit women after Girton College...
to study English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
graduating in 1935. In the same year, she married Richard William David (died 1993) with whom she had two sons and two daughters.
She was a Councillor
Councillor
A councillor or councilor is a member of a local government council, such as a city council.Often in the United States, the title is councilman or councilwoman.-United Kingdom:...
in the city of Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
from 1964–67, and from 1968–74, when she became a County Councillor in Cambridgeshire County Council
Cambridgeshire County Council
Cambridgeshire County Council is the county council of Cambridgeshire, England. The council currently consists of 69 councillors, representing 60 electoral divisions. The Conservative Party has a majority on the council, having gained control in the 1997 local elections...
. She was a Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
in Cambridge from 1965 until her death.
She was raised to the life peerage as Baroness David, of Romsey in the City of Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
, in 1978. She was an opposition spokesperson on education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
from 1979 until 1985 and again from 1987 to 1997, and for the environment (1985–1987). She was also a government and opposition whip
Whip (politics)
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
from 1978 to 1987. Her political interests included education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
, the environment, home affairs, and children. She was a fellow of Newnham College, Cambridge
Newnham College, Cambridge
Newnham College is a women-only constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1871 by Henry Sidgwick, and was the second Cambridge college to admit women after Girton College...
.
Baroness David was an active member of 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....
. On Wednesday 31 January 2007, she slipped and fell down an escalator on the parliamentary estate, and was subsequently rushed to hospital. Shortly after the fall she retired to Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
. She died on 29 November 2009, aged 96, and was survived by two sons and two daughters.
External links
- Baroness David - Daily Telegraph obituary