Dame Norma Christina Elizabeth, Lady Major, (, formerly Johnson; born 12 February 1942) is an English philanthropist who is the wife of former British prime minister
Sir John Major.
Early life
Norma Christina Elizabeth Wagstaff is the daughter of Norman Reuel Wagstaff, a Lieutenant in the
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises t ...
, and Edith Georgina Wagstaff (née Johnson), a former umbrella saleswoman. She was born in
Shropshire
Shropshire (; alternatively Salop; abbreviated in print only as Shrops; demonym Salopian ) is a landlocked historic county in the West Midlands region of England. It is bordered by Wales to the west and the English counties of Cheshire to th ...
while her father was stationed there during World War II. He was killed in a motorcycle accident a few days after the end of the
Second World War
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 opposin ...
, when Norma was just three years old, and her mother subsequently reverted to using her maiden name after becoming estranged from her in-laws, so she was known as Norma Johnson growing up.
Major was educated at a boarding school in
Bexhill-on-Sea
Bexhill-on-Sea (often shortened to Bexhill) is a seaside town and civil parish situated in the county of East Sussex in South East England. An ancient town and part of the local government district of Rother, Bexhill is home to a number of arc ...
,
Oakfield Preparatory School
Oakfield Preparatory School is an independent coeducational preparatory school in West Dulwich, Lambeth.
Oakfield is a member of the Independent Schools Association. With over 350 boys and girls aged between 2 and 11, it is housed in historic ...
in
Dulwich
Dulwich (; ) is an area in south London, England. The settlement is mostly in the London Borough of Southwark, with parts in the London Borough of Lambeth, and consists of Dulwich Village, East Dulwich, West Dulwich, and the Southwark half of ...
, and Peckham School for Girls where she was
head girl
Head boy and head girl are student leadership roles in schools, representing the school's entire student body. They are normally the most senior prefects in the school. The terms are commonly used in the British education system as well as in Aus ...
. She was a skilled
dressmaker
A dressmaker, also known as a seamstress, is a person who makes custom clothing for women, such as dresses, blouses, and gown, evening gowns. Dressmakers were historically known as mantua (clothing), mantua-makers, and are also known as a mod ...
.
She was also a member of the
Young Conservatives.
Marriage
At a
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 ...
meeting during the campaign for the
1970 Greater London Council election
The third election to the Greater London Council was held on 9 April 1970 and saw a Conservative victory with a reduced majority.
Electoral arrangements
New constituencies to be used for elections to Parliament and also for elections to the GL ...
s, she was introduced to
John Major
Sir John Major (born 29 March 1943) is a British former politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conservative Party from 1990 to 1997, and as Member of Parliament ...
.
The couple married on 3 October 1970.
They have a son together, James Major, and a daughter, Elizabeth Major. She kept a low profile during her husband's premiership (1990–1997), doing charity work and writing two books, ''
Joan Sutherland
Dame Joan Alston Sutherland, (7 November 1926 – 10 October 2010) was an Australian dramatic coloratura soprano known for her contribution to the renaissance of the bel canto repertoire from the late 1950s through to the 1980s.
She possessed ...
: The Authorised Biography'' (1994) and ''
Chequers
Chequers ( ), or Chequers Court, is the country house of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. A 16th-century manor house in origin, it is located near the village of Ellesborough, halfway between Princes Risborough and Wendover in Bucking ...
: The Prime Minister's Country House and its History'' (1997).
Charity work
In June 1999, Major was created a
Dame Commander 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 o ...
(DBE) in the
1999 Birthday Honours, in recognition of her charity work.
Major is a supporter of
Mencap
The Royal Mencap Society is a charity based in the United Kingdom that works with people with a learning disability. Its Charity Number is 222377.
History
Established by Judy Fryd in 1946 as The National Association of Parents of Backwards Chi ...
,
and she has been credited with helping to raise £6,000,000 for the charity.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Major, Norma
1942 births
Living people
Alumni of London South Bank University
English biographers
English philanthropists
English women writers
Dames Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Spouses of prime ministers of the United Kingdom
Wives of knights
Women biographers