Margaret Betty Harvie Anderson, Baroness Skrimshire of Quarter, (12 August 1913 – 7 November 1979) was a British

Conservative Party The Conservative Party is a name used by many political parties around the world. These political parties are generally right-wing though their exact ideologies can range from center-right to far-right. Political parties called The Conservative P ...

politician. She was the first woman to become a

Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons The speaker of the House of Commons is the presiding officer of the House of Commons, the lower house and primary chamber of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The current speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, was elected Speaker on 4 November 2019 ...

, which she served as from 1970 to 1973.

Early life

Harvie Anderson was born in

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popu ...

on 12 August 1913 to Thomas Alexander Harvie Anderson and his wife Nessie Harvie Anderson (née Shearer). She was educated at

St Leonards School St Leonards School is an independent boarding and day school for pupils aged 4–19 in St Andrews, Fife, Scotland. Founded in 1877 as St Andrews School for Girls Company, it adopted the St Leonards name upon moving to its current premises, the ...

, a

private school Private or privates may refer to: Music * " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...

St Andrews St Andrews ( la, S. Andrea(s); sco, Saunt Aundraes; gd, Cill Rìmhinn) is a town on the east coast of Fife in Scotland, southeast of Dundee and northeast of Edinburgh. St Andrews had a recorded population of 16,800 , making it Fife's fourt ...

Military service

In 1938, she joined the

Auxiliary Territorial Service The Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS; often pronounced as an acronym) was the women's branch of the British Army during the Second World War. It was formed on 9 September 1938, initially as a women's voluntary service, and existed until 1 Februa ...

(ATS). She was commissioned into the ATS as a company commander (equivalent in rank to

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

) on 21 December 1938. When the ATS reorganised and granted full military status in 1941, she was made a second subaltern (equivalent in rank to a

second lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army unt ...

) on 30 May. She saw active service on the

Home Front Home front is an English language term with analogues in other languages. It is commonly used to describe the full participation of the British public in World War I who suffered Zeppelin raids and endured food rations as part of what came t ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, including a posting to the

River Forth The River Forth is a major river in central Scotland, long, which drains into the North Sea on the east coast of the country. Its drainage basin covers much of Stirlingshire in Scotland's Central Belt. The Gaelic name for the upper reach of t ...

during the German air raids. From 1942 to 1943, she was senior commander (equivalent in rank to

major Major ( commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicato ...

) of a Mixed Heavy Anti-aircraft Regiment. She was ultimately appointed chief commander (equivalent in rank to

lieutenant colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colon ...

) of a mixed anti-aircraft brigade. She held the post until she left the ATS in 1946.

Political career

In November 1945, Harvie Anderson was elected to

Stirlingshire Stirlingshire or the County of Stirling, gd, Siorrachd Sruighlea) is a historic county and registration countyRegisters of Scotland. Publications, leaflets, Land Register Counties. of Scotland. Its county town is Stirling. It borders Perth ...

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. In 1953, she became leader of the Moderate Group. Harvie Anderson stood for parliament for West Stirlingshire in 1950 and 1951 and in Sowerby in 1955. She was appointed an

Officer of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established ...

(OBE) in 1956. She was

Member of Parliament A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members o ...

(MP) for Renfrewshire East from 1959 to 1979. Although

Betty Boothroyd Betty Boothroyd, Baroness Boothroyd (born 8 October 1929) is a British politician who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for West Bromwich and West Bromwich West from 1973 to 2000. From 1992 to 2000, she served as Speaker of the House of ...

was the first female Speaker of the House of Commons, Harvie Anderson was the first woman to sit in the Speaker's Chair as a

Deputy Speaker The speaker of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body, is its presiding officer, or the chair. The title was first used in 1377 in England. Usage The title was first recorded in 1377 to describe the role of Thomas de Hungerf ...

(Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means) from 1970 to 1973. In the 1970s Harvie Anderson helped turn Conservative Party policy against

Scottish Devolution Devolution is the process in which the central British parliament grants administrative powers (excluding principally reserved matters) to the devolved Scottish Parliament. Prior to the advent of devolution, some had argued for a Scottish ...

which she regarded as a threat to the future of the United Kingdom. She retired as an MP in 1979. Harvie Anderson was given a

life peerage In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the peerage whose titles cannot be inherited, in contrast to hereditary peers. In modern times, life peerages, always created at the rank of baron, are created under the Life Peerages A ...

in the 1979 Birthday Honours. She took the unusual title of Baroness Skrimshire of Quarter, of Dunipace in the District of

Falkirk Falkirk ( gd, An Eaglais Bhreac, sco, Fawkirk) is a large town in the Central Lowlands of Scotland, historically within the county of Stirlingshire. It lies in the Forth Valley, northwest of Edinburgh and northeast of Glasgow. Falkirk had ...

, made up of her husband's surname and the estate she owned in Scotland. On 7 November 1979, within a week of her introduction to the

House of Lords The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by appointment, heredity or official function. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminst ...

, she died suddenly having suffered an

asthma Asthma is a long-term inflammatory disease of the airways of the lungs. It is characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and easily triggered bronchospasms. Symptoms include episodes of wheezing, co ...

attack.

Personal life

On 5 May 1960, Harvie Anderson married John Francis Penrose Skrimshire, a medical doctor and heart specialist. They had no children.

References

*''Times Guide to the House of Commons October 1974'' *

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Skrimshire of Quarter, Betty Harvie Anderson, Baroness 1913 births 1979 deaths People educated at St Leonards School Deputy Lieutenants of Stirlingshire Harvie Anderson Harvie Anderson Harvie Anderson Councillors in Scotland Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom Officers of the Order of the British Empire Skrimshire of Quarter Life peeresses created by Elizabeth II Harvie Anderson Harvie Anderson Harvie Anderson Harvie Anderson Harvie Anderson Harvie Anderson Place of birth missing Place of death missing Politicians from Glasgow Auxiliary Territorial Service officers Unionist Party (Scotland) MPs Scottish Conservative Party MPs 20th-century Scottish women politicians 20th-century Scottish politicians Women councillors in Scotland Women legislative deputy speakers