Dorothy Dunlop facts for kids

Dorothy Dunlop (born in 1929 – died on October 16, 2021) was a politician from Northern Ireland. She was a member of the Ulster Unionist Party and later the Conservative Party (UK).

Early Life and Education

Dorothy Dunlop was born in Dublin in 1929. When she was four years old, her family moved to Belfast. Her father, Gilbert Waterhouse, became a professor at Queen's University, Belfast. Dorothy later studied English at Queen's University. There, she met Samuel Dunlop, and they later got married.

Her Work Before Politics

Before becoming a politician, Dorothy worked in different places. She worked for the Arts Council of Great Britain in London. She also worked for BBC Northern Ireland. After she got married, she became a teacher in various schools. She also taught for the Prison Education Service.

Political Career

Dorothy Dunlop started her political journey in local government. She became a member of Belfast City Council in 1975. This happened after a special election called a by-election. She represented an area known as 'Area B'.

Serving on the Council

She was re-elected to the council in 1977. From 1978 to 1979, she served as the Deputy Lord Mayor of Belfast. However, she lost her council seat in the 1981 local elections to the Democratic Unionist Party.

Moving to the Assembly

In 1982, Dorothy Dunlop was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly (1982). She was one of only three women to win a seat in the Assembly at that time. In 1985, she won back her seat on Belfast City Council. This time, she represented the 'Pottinger' area. She also became the leader of the East Belfast Unionist Association.

Views and Changes

Dorothy Dunlop was known for being a moderate member of the Ulster Unionist Party. She did not agree with some of the party's decisions. For example, she was critical of the party working closely with the DUP in elections. She also spoke out against Unionist protests at St Anne's Cathedral, Belfast regarding the Anglo-Irish Agreement. This agreement was about the relationship between the UK and Ireland.

Becoming an Independent and Conservative

Later, she left the Ulster Unionist Party. However, she was still popular enough to keep her council seat in 1989. She ran as an independent Unionist. In the 1992 UK general election, she ran for a seat in East Belfast (UK Parliament constituency). She received over 2,000 votes, which meant she kept her deposit. Soon after, she joined the Conservatives in Northern Ireland. She became the Area Chairwoman for the party from 1995 to 1997.

End of Her Political Journey

Her political career ended when she lost her council seat in the 1993 local elections. Her last election was the 1996 Forum election, where she did not win a seat in Belfast East (Assembly constituency).

Personal Life

Dorothy Dunlop had four children and seven grandchildren. She passed away on October 16, 2021, at the age of 92.