Patricia Ford (politician)

Patricia Ford, Lady Fisher (nee Smiles; known as "Patsie") (5 April 1921 - 23 May 1995) was an Ulster Unionist Party politician in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom. She was the first woman from a constituency in Ireland to take their seat at Westminster.

Lady Fisher was born at Donaghadee and educated at Bangor Collegiate School, Glendower School, London and abroad. Her father was MP Sir Walter D. Smiles and her mother Margaret Heigway. Lady Fisher's colourful family included Mrs Beeton, her great-aunt.

She returned from living in Cheshire upon her father's untimely death in the MV Princess Victoria disaster in 1953 to be elected to his North Down constituency. In her maiden speech to the House she was required to apologise for an article she had written in the "Sunday Express" in which she mentioned that Bessie Braddock and Edith Summerskill had been snoring whilst asleep in the lady members room. The matter was referred to the Committee for Privileges. Lady Fisher was a strong proponent of equal pay amongst the sexes and rode a horse drawn carriage to Parliament to draw attention to the matter. She retired at 1955 general election. She was founder and co-chairman of the Women Caring Trust. She was expelled from the Orange Order's ladies section for attending a wedding at the Brompton Oratory.

In 1941, Patricia Smiles married professional cricketer Neville Montagu Ford (son of the Very Rev. Lionel George Bridges Justice Ford and grandson of 4th Lord Lyttelton). They had one daughter, Sarah, who married Sir Michael Grylls and whose son is explorer Bear Grylls. [ [http://www.thepeerage.com/p24749.htm#i247489 thepeerage.com] ] Patricia Ford was divorced from her first husband and married Sir Nigel Fisher MP in 1956.

External links

* [http://www.womencaringtrust.com/ Women Caring Trust]

References