Denis Thatcher facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir
Denis Thatcher
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Denis Thatcher in 1988
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| Born | 10 May 1915 London, England
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| Died | 26 June 2003 (aged 88) London, England
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| Resting place | Royal Hospital Chelsea |
| Alma mater | Mill Hill School |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Known for | Spouse of the prime minister of the United Kingdom (1979–1990) |
| Political party | Conservative |
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| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service/ |
 British Army |
| Years of service | 1938–1965 |
| Rank | Major |
| Service number | 77306 |
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Sir Denis Thatcher, 1st Baronet (born 10 May 1915 – died 26 June 2003) was an English businessman. He was the husband of Margaret Thatcher, who became the first female British prime minister from 1979 to 1990. Because of this, he became the first man to be the husband of a British prime minister.
In 1990, Denis Thatcher was given the Thatcher baronetcy. This was a special title that could be passed down to his children. It was the only baronetcy created since 1964. He was also the most recent ordinary person (not a noble by birth) to receive a hereditary title in the UK.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Denis Thatcher was born in London, England, on 10 May 1915. He was the first child of Thomas Herbert "Jack" Thatcher, a businessman from New Zealand.
When he was eight, Denis went to a boarding school in Bognor Regis. Later, he attended Mill Hill School in north London. At school, he was very good at cricket, especially as a left-handed batsman.
After leaving school in 1933, Thatcher joined his family's business, Atlas Preservatives, which made paint and protective coatings. He also studied accountancy to learn more about business. By 1935, he became the works manager. He joined the Territorial Army because he believed war was coming. This belief grew stronger after he visited Nazi Germany for his father's business in 1937.
Military Service During World War II
During the Second World War, Denis Thatcher became an officer in the 34th Searchlight unit of the Royal Engineers. Later, he moved to the Royal Artillery. During the war, he was promoted to captain and then to temporary major.
He served in the Allied invasion of Sicily and the Italian campaign. He was mentioned in official reports twice for his bravery and good work. In 1945, he was awarded the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). This award was for his important role in "Operation Goldflake," which moved Canadian troops from Italy to another part of Europe. His commanding officer praised his energy and leadership.
Thatcher also received an honour from the French army for helping to create good relationships between the British forces and the French authorities. He left the army in 1946 and went back to run his family's business. His father had passed away in 1943 while Denis was serving in Sicily. He stayed in the Territorial Army reserve until 1965, keeping the honorary rank of major. In 1982, he received the Territorial Decoration (TD) for his long service.
Marriages and Family Life
Denis Thatcher was married twice. His first marriage was to Margot Kempson in 1942, but they divorced in 1948. In 1951, he married Margaret Roberts, who later became Margaret Thatcher.
First Marriage
On 28 March 1942, Denis married Margaret Doris "Margot" Kempson. They had met at an officers' dance. Because of the war, they could not live together much, only seeing each other on weekends or during his leaves. When Thatcher returned from the war in 1946, his wife told him she wanted a divorce.
Marriage to Margaret Thatcher
In February 1949, Denis met Margaret Hilda Roberts at a business event. She was a chemist and was starting her political career. They married on 13 December 1951.
In 1953, they had twin children, Carol and Mark. They were born seven weeks early. Denis was watching a cricket match when the twins were born.
After the 1964 election, Denis went through a difficult time due to stress from his business and his wife's busy political life. He took a break in South Africa to recover. This was a challenging period for their marriage, but he recovered and they remained happily married.
As Margaret's political career grew, she became known as "Mrs Thatcher." In 1975, she was elected leader of the Conservative Party. In 1979, she won the general election and became the first female Prime Minister of Britain. Denis then became the first husband of a British Prime Minister.
Business Career
Denis Thatcher was already a successful businessman when he met Margaret. He helped pay for her training to become a barrister (a type of lawyer) and bought a home for them in London. He also bought a large house in Kent in 1965. By 1957, his company, Atlas, employed 200 people.
Thatcher became the managing director of Atlas in 1947 and chairman in 1951. He helped the company grow internationally. In 1965, he sold Atlas to Castrol, another company, for £530,000. He continued to run Atlas and joined Castrol's board. When Burmah Oil took over Castrol in 1966, Thatcher became a senior director. He retired from Burmah in June 1975, shortly after his wife became the leader of the Conservative Party.
Besides his work at Burmah Oil, Thatcher was also a director for other companies, including Attwoods, Quinton Hazell, Amec, and CSX.
Public Role and Support
Denis Thatcher rarely gave interviews and made only short speeches. When he did speak to the press, he often called his wife "The Boss." Margaret Thatcher always said how much her husband supported her. In her autobiography, she wrote that she "could never have been Prime Minister for more than 11 years without Denis by my side."
Thatcher saw his main job as helping his wife deal with the stress of being Prime Minister. He often told her to rest and avoid overworking. They usually kept their careers separate, but he sometimes advised her on financial matters.
In December 1990, after his wife resigned as Prime Minister, it was announced that Denis Thatcher would be made a baronet. This meant he became Sir Denis Thatcher, 1st Baronet. His wife could then be called Lady Thatcher, but she preferred to still be known as "Mrs Thatcher." Later, she was given her own title as Baroness Thatcher.
In July 1991, Thatcher was also made a Commander of the Order of St John. His baronetcy was a special hereditary title that would be passed to his son after his death. It was the first baronetcy given since 1964, and no more have been created since then.
Later Years and Passing
In 1992, Denis Thatcher was diagnosed with prostate cancer, but it was found early and he responded well to treatment.
On 17 January 2003, he had a six-hour heart-bypass operation and another heart operation. He had been feeling breathless for several weeks. He recovered well from the surgery and even visited his son Mark in South Africa in April.
However, in early June, he again felt breathless and weak. On 13 June, he was admitted to the Royal Brompton Hospital for tests. Doctors found that he had terminal pancreatic cancer and fluid in his lungs. There was nothing more they could do. He was moved to the Lister Hospital on 20 June. He lost consciousness on 24 June and passed away on the morning of 26 June, at the age of 88.
His funeral service was held on 3 July 2003, at the Royal Hospital Chelsea chapel in London. He was then cremated. A memorial service was held at Westminster Abbey on 30 October. His ashes were buried outside the Royal Hospital in Chelsea. His wife's ashes were later buried next to his after her death in 2013.
Profiles and Insights
Married to Maggie
Denis Thatcher gave only one public interview, which his daughter Carol used to make a documentary called Married to Maggie. It was shown after his death. In the film, he shared that he liked the spouses of other leaders, such as Raisa Gorbacheva, Nancy Reagan, and Barbara Bush. He also said he thought his wife was "the best prime minister since Churchill."
Below the Parapet
His daughter Carol also wrote a biography about him in 1996 called Below the Parapet. In this book, he said that he was not interested in politics as a job or way of life. He got along well with world leaders like George H. W. Bush, F. W. de Klerk, Hussein of Jordan, and Mikhail Gorbachev. He admitted that he did not know where the Falkland Islands were until they were invaded in 1982.
Medals and Honours
Denis Thatcher received several British medals and honours:
| Ribbon | Description | Year |
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Commander of the Order of St John | 1991 |
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Baronetcy (Bt) | 1990 |
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Member of the Order of the British Empire (Military Division) (MBE) | 1945 |
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Territorial Decoration (TD) | 1982 |
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1939–1945 Star | 1945 |
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Italy Star | |
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War Medal 1939–1945 with Mention in Dispatches Oakleaf |
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Images for kids
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Denis Thatcher in 1982
See also
In Spanish: Denis Thatcher para niños
