Norah Phillips, Baroness Phillips
Encyclopedia
Norah Phillips, Baroness Phillips, JP
(12 August 1910 – 14 August 1992) was a British
Labour
politician.
Born Norah Mary Lusher, she was educated at Hampton Training College as a teacher. She became active in her local Fulham
Labour Party and in 1930 married fellow Fulham activist Morgan Phillips
, a former miner and later the formidable General Secretary of the Labour Party
1944–1961. They had a son and a daughter, Gwyneth Dunwoody
, who became a long-serving Labour Member of Parliament.
Phillips was a long-serving London
magistrate
and co-founder of the National Association of Women's Clubs (1935). She was made a life peer
in 1964 as Baroness Phillips, of Fulham in the County of Greater London
and was the first female government whip
in the House of Lords
, as Baroness in Waiting 1965–70.
She championed consumer issues and in 1965 founded the Housewives Trust to help shoppers obtain better value for money. In 1977 she became director of the Association for the Prevention of Theft in Shops.
She served as Lord Lieutenant of Greater London
from 1978–85.
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...
(12 August 1910 – 14 August 1992) was 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...
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...
politician.
Born Norah Mary Lusher, she was educated at Hampton Training College as a teacher. She became active in her local Fulham
Fulham
Fulham is an area of southwest London in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, SW6 located south west of Charing Cross. It lies on the left bank of the Thames, between Putney and Chelsea. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London...
Labour Party and in 1930 married fellow Fulham activist Morgan Phillips
Morgan Phillips
Morgan Walter Phillips was a colliery worker and trade union activist who became the General Secretary of the British Labour Party, involved in two of the party's election victories....
, a former miner and later the formidable General Secretary of the Labour Party
General Secretary of the Labour Party
The General Secretary is the most senior employee of the British Labour Party, and acts as the non-voting secretary to the National Executive Committee...
1944–1961. They had a son and a daughter, 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...
, who became a long-serving Labour Member of Parliament.
Phillips was a long-serving 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...
magistrate
Magistrate
A magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
and co-founder of the National Association of Women's Clubs (1935). She was made a 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...
in 1964 as Baroness Phillips, of Fulham in the County of Greater London
Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
and was the first female government 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...
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....
, as Baroness in Waiting 1965–70.
She championed consumer issues and in 1965 founded the Housewives Trust to help shoppers obtain better value for money. In 1977 she became director of the Association for the Prevention of Theft in Shops.
She served as Lord Lieutenant of Greater London
Lord Lieutenant of Greater London
The Lord Lieutenant of Greater London is Her Majesty's representative in Greater London, including the 32 London boroughs.This is a complete list of Lord Lieutenants of Greater London in the United Kingdom....
from 1978–85.