Vera Houghton, Baroness Houghton of Sowerby, (née Travis; 18 October 1914 – 30 November 2013) was a British women's health campaigner, chair of the

Abortion Law Reform Association Badges from the 1970s campaigning to keep and expand the achievements of the ALRA Abortion Rights is an advocacy organisation that promotes access to abortion in the United Kingdom. It was formed in 2003 by the merger of the Abortion Law Refo ...

and founder of the Birth Control Trust. She also served as a Vice President of the British Eugenics Society from 1964–1966 and again in 1969 when it was reformed as the

Galton Institute The Adelphi Genetics Forum is a non-profit learned society based in the United Kingdom. Its aims are "to promote the public understanding of human heredity and to facilitate informed debate about the ethical issues raised by advances in reproductive ...

.Eugenics Society Background
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Early life

Goughton was born in London on 18 October 1914 and educated at

Haberdashers' Aske's School for Girls Haberdashers' Girls' School is an independent day school in Elstree, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as "Habs" (or "Habs Girls" to distinguish it from the neighbouring Haberdashers' Boys' School). The school was founded in 1875 by the Wo ...

, Acton.

Career

She was the chair of the

from 1963 to 1970, whilst the organisation, lobbied, sponsored and steered the

Abortion Act 1967 The Abortion Act 1967 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom legalising abortions on certain grounds by registered practitioners, and regulating the tax-paid provision of such medical practices through the National Health Service (NHS ...

through parliament. Following this, she continued to campaign for women's reproductive rights by founding the Birth Control Trust, which pushed for universally free contraceptives. She also became active in the Family Planning Association, becoming its chair in 1973, with birth control becoming free available on the NHS in 1974. She also became executive secretary of the

International Planned Parenthood Federation The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) is a global non-governmental organisation with the broad aims of promoting sexual and reproductive health, and advocating the right of individuals to make their own choices in family ...

from 1953 to 1959. In 1986, she was appointed a

CBE 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 ...

Personal life

In 1939, she married

Douglas Houghton Arthur Leslie Noel Douglas Houghton, Baron Houghton of Sowerby, (11 August 1898 – 2 May 1996) was a British Labour politician. He was the last British Cabinet minister born in the 19th century. After he retired in 1967, every Cabinet minist ...

, the founder and general secretary of the Association of Officers for Taxes, where she had worked since 1934.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Houghton, Vera 1914 births 2013 deaths Houghton of Sowerby Commanders of the Order of the British Empire People from Acton, London People educated at Haberdashers' Girls' School British eugenicists British abortion-rights activists Spouses of life peers