Patricia Hollis, Baroness Hollis of Heigham
Encyclopedia
Patricia Lesley Hollis, Baroness Hollis of Heigham PC, DL
(born 24 May 1941) is a Labour
member of the House of Lords
.
She was educated at Plympton Grammar School, at Cambridge University
, the University of California
and Columbia University
, New York (both where she was Harkness Fellow from 1962 to 1964), and at Nuffield College
, Oxford (MA, DPhil).
She was a lecturer in modern history, reader and Dean at the University of East Anglia
in Norwich
from 1967 until 1990. She served as a National Commissioner for English Heritage
from 1988 until 1991. She was married to Martin Hollis
, Professor of Philosophy at the University of East Anglia, until his death in 1998: they had two sons, one of whom is the poet Matthew Hollis.
She contested the Great Yarmouth
constituency for Labour at the February 1974 general election
, the October 1974 election
and at the 1979 general election
. She became involved in local politics early in her career, serving on Norwich City Council from 1968 to 1991, and as Leader of the Council from 1983 to 1988. Patricia Hollis served on the Press Council
from 1988 to 1990. and was a director of Radio Broadland
from 1983 until 1997.
Hollis was created a life peer as Baroness Hollis of Heigham, of Heigham in the City of Norwich
and was an Opposition Whip
in the House of Lords between 1990 and 1995, and Opposition Spokeswoman on Housing, Local Government, the Environment, Disability and Social Security from 1990. While in opposition she carried through the Lords the proposals for pension sharing on divorce which have now become law.
Hollis was Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
at the Department for Work and Pensions
(previously Department of Social Security
) from 5 May 1997 to the 2005 reshuffle, was made a Privy Counsellor
in 1999 and is now a Deputy Lieutenant
for Norfolk
.
She is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society
, an honorary fellow of Girton College, Cambridge
and the author of several books on women's history and on labour history. Her book Jennie Lee - a life (1997), won the Orwell Prize for political biography and the Wolfson History Prize
for the history book of the year. In 2001 she was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of the University by the Open University
, live next door to each other but both claim expenses from the House of Lords.
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
(born 24 May 1941) is a 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...
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....
.
She was educated at Plympton Grammar School, at Cambridge University
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
, the University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
and Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
, New York (both where she was Harkness Fellow from 1962 to 1964), and at Nuffield College
Nuffield College, Oxford
Nuffield College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is an all-graduate college and primarily a research establishment, specialising in the social sciences, particularly economics, politics and sociology. It is a research centre in the social sciences...
, Oxford (MA, DPhil).
She was a lecturer in modern history, reader and Dean at the University of East Anglia
University of East Anglia
The University of East Anglia is a public research university based in Norwich, United Kingdom. It was established in 1963, and is a founder-member of the 1994 Group of research-intensive universities.-History:...
in Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
from 1967 until 1990. She served as a National Commissioner for English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
from 1988 until 1991. She was married to Martin Hollis
Martin Hollis (philosopher)
Martin Hollis was an English rationalist philosopher. O'Hagan argues that central to Hollis's rationalism was "the epistemological unity of mankind", the view that "some beliefs are universal . ....
, Professor of Philosophy at the University of East Anglia, until his death in 1998: they had two sons, one of whom is the poet Matthew Hollis.
She contested the Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth (UK Parliament constituency)
Great Yarmouth is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
constituency for Labour at the February 1974 general election
United Kingdom general election, February 1974
The United Kingdom's general election of February 1974 was held on the 28th of that month. It was the first of two United Kingdom general elections held that year, and the first election since the Second World War not to produce an overall majority in the House of Commons for the winning party,...
, the October 1974 election
United Kingdom general election, October 1974
The United Kingdom general election of October 1974 took place on 10 October 1974 to elect 635 members to the British House of Commons. It was the second general election of that year and resulted in the Labour Party led by Harold Wilson, winning by a tiny majority of 3 seats.The election of...
and at the 1979 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1979
The United Kingdom general election of 1979 was held on 3 May 1979 to elect 635 members to the British House of Commons. The Conservative Party, led by Margaret Thatcher ousted the incumbent Labour government of James Callaghan with a parliamentary majority of 43 seats...
. She became involved in local politics early in her career, serving on Norwich City Council from 1968 to 1991, and as Leader of the Council from 1983 to 1988. Patricia Hollis served on the Press Council
Press Council
Press Council may refer to:* Danish Press Council, a Danish independent public tribunal press council under the Ministry of Justice* International Press Telecommunications Council, a consortium of the world's major news agencies and news industry vendors...
from 1988 to 1990. and was a director of Radio Broadland
Radio Broadland
Heart Norwich was an Independent Local Radio station for Norfolk and North Suffolk, including Norwich, Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft, until early 2009...
from 1983 until 1997.
Hollis was created a life peer as Baroness Hollis of Heigham, of Heigham in the City of Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
and was an 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...
in the House of Lords between 1990 and 1995, and Opposition Spokeswoman on Housing, Local Government, the Environment, Disability and Social Security from 1990. While in opposition she carried through the Lords the proposals for pension sharing on divorce which have now become law.
Hollis was Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
A Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State is the lowest of three tiers of government minister in the government of the United Kingdom, junior to both a Minister of State and a Secretary of State....
at the Department for Work and Pensions
Department for Work and Pensions
The Department for Work and Pensions is the largest government department in the United Kingdom, created on June 8, 2001 from the merger of the employment part of the Department for Education and Employment and the Department of Social Security and headed by the Secretary of State for Work and...
(previously Department of Social Security
Department of Social Security
The Department of Social Security is the name of a defunct governmental agency in the United Kingdom.The DSS replaced the older Department of Health and Social Security, from 1988 until 2001, when it was itself largely replaced as a department of the Government of the United Kingdom by the...
) from 5 May 1997 to the 2005 reshuffle, was made a Privy Counsellor
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
in 1999 and is now a Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
for Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
.
She is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society
Royal Historical Society
The Royal Historical Society was founded in 1868. The premier society in the United Kingdom which promotes and defends the scholarly study of the past, it is based at University College London...
, an honorary fellow of Girton College, Cambridge
Girton College, Cambridge
Girton College is one of the 31 constituent colleges of the University of Cambridge. It was England's first residential women's college, established in 1869 by Emily Davies and Barbara Bodichon. The full college status was only received in 1948 and marked the official admittance of women to the...
and the author of several books on women's history and on labour history. Her book Jennie Lee - a life (1997), won the Orwell Prize for political biography and the Wolfson History Prize
Wolfson History Prize
The Wolfson History Prizes are literary awards given annually in the United Kingdom to promote and encourage standards of excellence in the writing of history for the general public...
for the history book of the year. In 2001 she was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of the University by the Open University
Open University
The Open University is a distance learning and research university founded by Royal Charter in the United Kingdom...
Controversy
She was criticised when it was claimed that she and her partner, Baron HowarthAlan Howarth, Baron Howarth of Newport
Alan Thomas Howarth, Baron Howarth of Newport, CBE, PC, is a British Labour Party politician who was a Member of Parliament from 1983 until 2005.-Early life:...
, live next door to each other but both claim expenses from the House of Lords.