Trixie Gardner, Baroness Gardner of Parkes
Encyclopedia
Rachel Trixie Anne Gardner, Baroness Gardner of Parkes, AM
FRSA (born 17 July 1927) is an Australia
n-born dentist, Conservative politician, and life peer
ess of the United Kingdom parliament. She is the only Australian woman to have been elevated to the peerage.
She was born in Parkes
as Rachel (Trixie) McGirr, the daughter of Greg McGirr
, a former leader of the New South Wales
Labor Party
(March–July 1923). From an early age she was known as Trixie.
Trixie Gardner is a dentist by profession. She gained a Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) in 1954 from the University of Sydney
and later studied at Cordon Bleu de Paris. She was a councillor of Westminster City Council
from 1968 to 1978, and was Lady Mayoress 1987-88.
In 1970, she stood for the Conservative Party
against Barbara Castle
(Labour) in Blackburn, and in 1974 stood against John Pardoe
(Liberal) in North Cornwall
. In 1971 she was made a Justice of the Peace
.
On 19 June 1981 she was created a life peeress of the United Kingdom, taking the name Baroness Gardner of Parkes, of Southgate in Greater London and of Parkes in the State of New South Wales and Commonwealth of Australia. She was ennobled for her two decades of community and local government work in the Tory
cause, the first Australian woman to be so honoured.
On 4 April 2007 she was made an Honorary Fellow of the University of Sydney.
was Labor Premier of New South Wales (1947-52). Her nephew, Dr. Jack McGirr carries on a dental practice at Lane Cove and is a former Mayor of Lane Cove. Another nephew is a solicitor and was a National Party
endorsed candidate for a NSW state election.
Her husband was Kevin Gardner (1930-2007). He was also Australian-born. He was educated at Waverley College
and won a scholarship to the University of Sydney to study dentistry, winning the Arnott Prize for oral surgery in 1954. He spent a year on the university teaching staff at the Sydney Dental Hospital
before going to London in 1955. He married Trixie McGirr in 1956 in Paris, and they set up their home in London.
In May 1982, the year after she joined the House of Lords, Kevin was elected to Westminster City Council, where Trixie had been a councillor since 1968. He was the first Australian to be the Lord Mayor of Westminster. He was re-elected as a councillor in 2006 at the age of 75.
Their Catholic faith was central to their lives. They had three daughters, one of whom (Joanna) was Lady Mayoress 2008-09 of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London. Kevin Gardner died in February 2007.
Trixie McGirr can trace her roots back to Ireland and John McGirr, a native of Moneen, Louisburg in Co Mayo who married Mary O'Sullivan from North Cork. James and Mary's son Gregory (d.1949) is Baroness Trixie's father.
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
FRSA (born 17 July 1927) is an Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n-born dentist, Conservative politician, 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...
ess of the United Kingdom parliament. She is the only Australian woman to have been elevated to the peerage.
She was born in Parkes
Parkes, New South Wales
- Transport :Parkes has a local bus service provided by Western Road Liners, which acquired Harris Bus Lines in March 2006. The Indian Pacific also stops twice a week, as well as the Broken Hill Outback Xplorer service, run by CountryLink, which heads to Broken Hill on Mondays and Sydney on...
as Rachel (Trixie) McGirr, the daughter of Greg McGirr
Greg McGirr
John Joseph Gregory McGirr was an Australian politician, elected as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly....
, a former leader of the New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
(March–July 1923). From an early age she was known as Trixie.
Trixie Gardner is a dentist by profession. She gained a Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) in 1954 from the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
and later studied at Cordon Bleu de Paris. She was a councillor of Westminster City Council
Westminster City Council
Westminster City Council is the local authority for the City of Westminster in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council and is entitled to be known as a city council, which is a rare distinction in the United Kingdom. The city is divided into 20 wards, each electing three councillors...
from 1968 to 1978, and was Lady Mayoress 1987-88.
In 1970, she stood for the Conservative Party
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...
against Barbara Castle
Barbara Castle
Barbara Anne Castle, Baroness Castle of Blackburn , PC, GCOT was a British Labour Party politician....
(Labour) in Blackburn, and in 1974 stood against John Pardoe
John Pardoe
John Wentworth Pardoe is a retired British businessman and Liberal Party politician.-Education:Educated at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, he was active in the famous Footlights Society; one critic of their 1955 revue panned future comedian Jonathan Miller whilst predicting a bold comedic...
(Liberal) in North Cornwall
North Cornwall
North Cornwall was the largest of the six local government districts of Cornwall, United Kingdom. Its council was based in Wadebridge . Other towns in the district included Bude, Bodmin, Launceston, Padstow, and Camelford....
. In 1971 she was made 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...
.
On 19 June 1981 she was created a life peeress of the United Kingdom, taking the name Baroness Gardner of Parkes, of Southgate in Greater London and of Parkes in the State of New South Wales and Commonwealth of Australia. She was ennobled for her two decades of community and local government work in the Tory
Tory
Toryism is a traditionalist and conservative political philosophy which grew out of the Cavalier faction in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. It is a prominent ideology in the politics of the United Kingdom, but also features in parts of The Commonwealth, particularly in Canada...
cause, the first Australian woman to be so honoured.
On 4 April 2007 she was made an Honorary Fellow of the University of Sydney.
Family
Her uncle James McGirrJames McGirr
James McGirr was the Labor Premier of New South Wales from 6 February 1947 to 3 April 1952.A Catholic, McGirr was the seventh son of John Patrick McGirr, farmer and Irish immigrant, and Mary McGirr, whose maiden name was O'Sullivan. Born in Parkes, New South Wales, he grew up on a dairy farm near...
was Labor Premier of New South Wales (1947-52). Her nephew, Dr. Jack McGirr carries on a dental practice at Lane Cove and is a former Mayor of Lane Cove. Another nephew is a solicitor and was a National Party
National Party of Australia
The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is...
endorsed candidate for a NSW state election.
Her husband was Kevin Gardner (1930-2007). He was also Australian-born. He was educated at Waverley College
Waverley College
Waverley College is a Roman Catholic, secondary, day school for boys, located at Waverley, in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
and won a scholarship to the University of Sydney to study dentistry, winning the Arnott Prize for oral surgery in 1954. He spent a year on the university teaching staff at the Sydney Dental Hospital
Sydney Dental Hospital
Sydney Dental Hospital is a hospital in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is situated between Chalmers Street and Elizabeth Street opposite the entrance to Central Station...
before going to London in 1955. He married Trixie McGirr in 1956 in Paris, and they set up their home in London.
In May 1982, the year after she joined the House of Lords, Kevin was elected to Westminster City Council, where Trixie had been a councillor since 1968. He was the first Australian to be the Lord Mayor of Westminster. He was re-elected as a councillor in 2006 at the age of 75.
Their Catholic faith was central to their lives. They had three daughters, one of whom (Joanna) was Lady Mayoress 2008-09 of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London. Kevin Gardner died in February 2007.
Trixie McGirr can trace her roots back to Ireland and John McGirr, a native of Moneen, Louisburg in Co Mayo who married Mary O'Sullivan from North Cork. James and Mary's son Gregory (d.1949) is Baroness Trixie's father.