Florence Horsbrugh, Baroness Horsbrugh facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Baroness Horsbrugh
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Horsbrugh in April 1945.
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| Minister of Education | |
| In office 2 November 1951 – 18 October 1954 |
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| Prime Minister | Sir Winston Churchill |
| Preceded by | George Tomlinson |
| Succeeded by | David Eccles |
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food | |
| In office 23 May 1945 – 13 July 1945 |
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| Prime Minister | Sir Winston Churchill |
| Preceded by | William Mabane |
| Succeeded by | Edith Summerskill |
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Health | |
| In office 14 July 1939 – 26 May 1945 |
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| Prime Minister | Neville Chamberlain Sir Winston Churchill |
| Preceded by | Robert Bernays |
| Succeeded by | Hamilton Kerr |
| Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal |
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| In office 16 December 1959 – 6 December 1969 Life Peerage |
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| Member of Parliament for Manchester Moss Side |
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| In office 23 February 1950 – 18 September 1959 |
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| Preceded by | William Griffiths |
| Succeeded by | James Watts |
| Member of Parliament for Dundee |
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| In office 27 October 1931 – 15 June 1945 Serving with Dingle Foot
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| Preceded by | Michael Marcus Edwin Scrymgeour |
| Succeeded by | Thomas Cook John Strachey |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 13 October 1889 Edinburgh, Scotland |
| Died | 6 December 1969 (aged 80) Edinburgh, Scotland |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Occupation | Politician |
Florence Gertrude Horsbrugh (born October 13, 1889 – died December 6, 1969) was an important Scottish politician. She was a member of both the Unionist Party and the Conservative Party. Many people considered her one of the most well-known women in British politics during her time. Some even say she was the most successful female Conservative politician before Margaret Thatcher.
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Early Life and Education
Florence Horsbrugh was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. She went to school at Lansdowne House in Edinburgh. She also studied at St Hilda's in Folkestone, England, and Mills College in California, USA.
Political Career Highlights
Florence Horsbrugh was a Member of Parliament (MP) for many years. She achieved several important "firsts" for women in British politics.
Representing Dundee
From 1931 to 1945, Horsbrugh was the MP for Dundee. Her win in 1931 was quite a surprise. She was the first woman to represent Dundee in the House of Commons. She was also the first Conservative MP elected for Dundee since 1832.
In 1936, she made history again. She was the first woman to give the official response to the King's Speech. After this, she was interviewed for television. This made her the first MP to ever appear on TV!
Moving to Manchester
After losing her seat in 1945, she ran again in 1950. She was elected as the MP for Manchester Moss Side. She served this area until she retired from the House of Commons in 1959.
Joining the House of Lords
When she retired, she was given a special title: Baroness Horsbrugh. This meant she became a member of the House of Lords. She continued to serve there until she passed away.
Important Government Roles
Florence Horsbrugh held several key positions in the government. During World War II, she was a Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Health (1939–1945). She was also the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food (1945). She was only the second woman to hold a ministerial job in a Conservative government.
As Parliamentary Secretary for Health, she helped organize the evacuation of schoolchildren. This was a huge task during the war.
Later, in 1951, she became the Minister of Education. This was a very important role. She was the first woman to hold a Cabinet position in a Conservative government. She was also only the third woman in British history to become a Cabinet minister.
Championing Social Welfare
Horsbrugh cared deeply about social welfare. She worked hard to improve things for children. She introduced a bill that became the Adoption of Children (Regulation) Act of 1939. This law helped make sure adoptions were done safely and properly.
She also did a lot of work that helped create the National Health Service. This system provides healthcare for everyone in the UK.
In 1945, she was a British representative at the San Francisco Conference. This meeting helped create the United Nations, an organization that works for world peace.
Awards and Recognition
Florence Horsbrugh received several honors for her public service.
- She was appointed a Member of the MBE in 1920.
- She was promoted to Commander of the CBE in 1939.
- She became a Dame Grand Cross of the GBE in 1954. This is a very high honor.
- She was also made a Privy Counsellor in 1945.
She received an honorary law degree (LL.D) from a university. She was also an honorary member of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.
A Love for Sports
Even with all her political work, Florence Horsbrugh enjoyed sports. She was a football fan! During her 1935 election campaign, a reporter found her watching football matches. She supported both Dundee and Dundee United. She was also a fan of Hearts football club.
