Betty Harvie Anderson
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Margaret Betty Harvie Anderson, Baroness Skrimshire of Quarter, (12 August 1913 – 7 November 1979) was a British Conservative Party 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 201 ...
, 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 popul ...
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 ...
in St Andrews.


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) 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) on 30 May. She saw active service on the
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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 vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
, 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) of a Mixed Heavy Anti-aircraft Regiment. She was ultimately appointed chief commander (equivalent in rank to lieutenant colonel) 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 (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 Speaker of the House of Commons is a political leadership position found in countries that have a House of Commons, where the membership of the body elects a speaker to lead its proceedings. Systems that have such a position include: * Speaker of ...
, Harvie Anderson was the first woman to sit in the Speaker's Chair as a Deputy Speaker (Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means) from 1970 to 1973. In the 1970s Harvie Anderson helped turn Conservative Party policy against
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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 Dunipace is a village in the west of the Falkirk council area of Scotland. The village is south of Stirling and north-west of Falkirk. The village is situated on the north bank of the River Carron and adjoins the town of Denny, to the south of ...
in the District of Falkirk, 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
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, she died suddenly having suffered an
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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