Jean Barker, Baroness Trumpington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Baroness Trumpington
DCVO PC
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Trumpington in 2011
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| In office 22 April 1992 – 2 May 1997 |
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| Prime Minister | John Major |
| Preceded by | The Baroness Denton |
| Succeeded by | The Baroness Farrington |
| In office 11 June 1983 – 25 March 1985 |
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| Prime Minister | Margaret Thatcher |
| Preceded by | The Lord Glenarthur |
| Succeeded by | The Baroness Cox |
| Minister of State (Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, 1987–1989) for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food | |
| In office 13 June 1987 – 14 April 1992 |
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| Prime Minister |
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| Preceded by | John Gummer |
| Succeeded by | David Curry |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Security | |
| In office 30 March 1985 – 13 June 1987 |
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| Prime Minister | Margaret Thatcher |
| Preceded by | The Lord Glenarthur |
| Succeeded by | The Lord Skelmersdale |
| Mayor of Cambridge | |
| In office 1970–1971 |
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| Preceded by | Brian Cooper |
| Succeeded by | Peter Wright |
| Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal |
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| In office 4 February 1980 – 24 October 2017 Life peerage |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
Jean Alys Campbell-Harris
23 October 1922 London, England |
| Died | 26 November 2018 (aged 96) Chelsea, London, England |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Spouse |
William Alan Barker
(m. 1954; died 1988) |
| Children | 1 |
| Occupation |
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Jean Alys Barker, Baroness Trumpington (born October 23, 1922 – died November 26, 2018) was a British politician. She was a member of the Conservative Party. In the 1960s and 1970s, she worked in local government in Cambridgeshire. In 1980, she became a life peer, which meant she was given a special title and could serve in the House of Lords. Before politics, she was a secretary and worked in naval intelligence during World War II.
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Early Life and Education
Jean Alys Campbell-Harris was born in London, England. Her father, Major Arthur Campbell-Harris, was an officer in the army. Her mother, Doris Robson, came from a wealthy American family.
As a child, Jean took dancing lessons. She also studied art and literature at a finishing school in Paris. She became fluent in French, German, and Italian. She left school at age 15 without taking any exams.
World War II Service
During World War II, Jean worked in naval intelligence at Bletchley Park. This was a secret location where British codebreakers worked to crack enemy codes. She used her knowledge of the German language to help break naval codes. This was a very important job that helped the Allies win the war.
After the war, she worked for an organization that helped ship and distribute supplies to countries affected by the war. She helped manage transport from an office in Paris.
Life in New York
In 1952, Jean moved to New York City in the United States. She worked for an advertising agency. While there, she met William Alan Barker, an Englishman who was a teacher at Eton College. They became engaged in 1953.
Jean returned to Britain and married William Alan Barker on March 18, 1954. Their wedding was held at the Chapel of the Royal Hospital Chelsea.
Return to England and Family Life
After their marriage, Jean's husband became the Headmaster of The Leys School in Cambridge from 1958 to 1975. Jean often hosted important guests and helped raise money for the school. Famous people like Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother visited the school.
Jean and William had one son, Adam Campbell Barker, who was born in 1955. Adam later became a lawyer.
Entering Politics
Jean became involved in local government in Cambridge. In 1963, she was elected as a councillor for the area of Trumpington on the Cambridge City Council.
From 1970 to 1971, she served as the Mayor of Cambridge. As Mayor, she helped improve the city's market and railway station. She also helped "twin" Cambridge with other university cities like Florence in Italy and Heidelberg in Germany. After being Mayor, she became a justice of the peace in 1972, which meant she helped with legal matters in the community.
She also worked on public bodies, including the Air Transport Users Committee. She was considered an expert on airmail services.
Serving in the House of Lords
In 1980, Jean was given the title Baroness Trumpington and became a life peer. This meant she could serve in the House of Lords, which is part of the UK Parliament.
She was appointed as a Baroness-in-waiting from 1983 to 1985. This role involved helping the Queen. She also held several important government jobs:
- From 1985 to 1987, she was a junior minister at the Department of Health and Social Security.
- From 1987 to 1992, she worked at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. She was promoted to a senior role there, becoming Minister of State at age 69, making her the oldest female minister at that time.
After her ministerial roles, she served again as a Baroness-in-waiting to the Queen from 1992 to 1997. She met important people like the last king of Afghanistan and leaders of the New Labour party.
Baroness Trumpington was known for her strong opinions. She supported university tuition fees and the traditional "first past the post" voting system. She was also in favor of Brexit, which was the UK leaving the European Union. She believed in tough measures to reduce crime and was a trustee for Crimestoppers, an organization that helps solve crimes.
She retired from the House of Lords on October 24, 2017, just after her 95th birthday.
Honours and Recognition
Baroness Trumpington received several honours for her public service:
- She was made an Officer of the National Order of Merit by France.
- In 2005, she was appointed a Dame Commander of the Royal Victorian Order.
- She received honorary fellowships from the Royal College of Pathologists and the Royal College of Volunteer Services.
- She was also an Honorary Member of the British Veterinary Association for her work in animal health.
Media Appearances
Baroness Trumpington was a well-known public figure and appeared in the media:
- In 1990, she was a guest on the radio show Desert Island Discs.
- In 2011, she published her memoir, Coming Up Trumps.
- She was a guest on the BBC TV show Have I Got News for You in 2012, becoming the oldest guest to appear on the program at age 90.
- She also appeared on Backchat and was a guest judge on the Great British Menu.
- In 2017, she was a guest editor for BBC Radio 4's Today programme, where she discussed her life and career.
Later Life and Death
Baroness Trumpington's husband passed away in 1988. In her later years, she enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren. She also liked playing contract bridge, doing needlepoint, and watching horse racing.
She died in Chelsea, London, on November 26, 2018, at the age of 96. Her son, Adam Barker, announced her passing, saying she had a "bloody good innings," meaning she lived a long and full life.
Images for kids
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Trumpington in 2011
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Arms of Jean Barker (née Campbell-Harris), Baroness Trumpington
