Emily Blatch, Baroness Blatch
Encyclopedia
Emily Blatch, Baroness Blatch, CBE
, PC
, FRSA
(24 July 1937 – 31 May 2005) was a British
Conservative
politician.
Born as Emily May Triggs, the daughter of Stephen and Sarah Triggs, she was educated at Prenton
and at Huntingdonshire College. At the age of 18, she joined the Women's Auxiliary Air Force
and served as an air traffic control
assistant between 1955 and 1959.
From 1977 to 1989 Blatch was a councillor on Cambridgeshire
County Council
and was council leader. She was created Baroness Blatch, of Hinchingbrooke in the County of Cambridgeshire
on 4 July 1987. From 1991 to 1994, she was Minister of State for Education and Minister of State for the Home Office
from 1994 to 1997. In 1997 she was given an honorary doctorate of Law
from the University of Teesside
and was Deputy Leader of the Opposition
in 2001.
pilot) and they had four children: David (b. 1965 - d. 1979), James Richard (b. 1967) and twins, Andrew Edward (b. 1968) and Elizabeth Anne (b. 1968).
in 2005, aged 67.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, PC
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
, FRSA
Royal Society of Arts
The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufacturers and Commerce is a British multi-disciplinary institution, based in London. The name Royal Society of Arts is frequently used for brevity...
(24 July 1937 – 31 May 2005) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician.
Born as Emily May Triggs, the daughter of Stephen and Sarah Triggs, she was educated at Prenton
Prenton
Prenton is a suburb of Birkenhead on the Wirral Peninsula, England and a 'post town' in the CH postcode area. Administratively, it is also a ward of the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral. Before local government reorganisation on 1 April 1974, it was part of the County Borough of Birkenhead, within...
and at Huntingdonshire College. At the age of 18, she joined the Women's Auxiliary Air Force
Women's Auxiliary Air Force
The Women's Auxiliary Air Force , whose members were invariably referred to as Waafs , was the female auxiliary of the Royal Air Force during World War II, established in 1939. At its peak strength, in 1943, WAAF numbers exceeded 180,000, with over 2,000 women enlisting per week.A Women's Royal Air...
and served as an air traffic control
Air traffic control
Air traffic control is a service provided by ground-based controllers who direct aircraft on the ground and in the air. The primary purpose of ATC systems worldwide is to separate aircraft to prevent collisions, to organize and expedite the flow of traffic, and to provide information and other...
assistant between 1955 and 1959.
From 1977 to 1989 Blatch was a councillor on Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west...
County Council
County council
A county council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a county. This term has slightly different meanings in different countries.-United Kingdom:...
and was council leader. She was created Baroness Blatch, of Hinchingbrooke in the County of Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west...
on 4 July 1987. From 1991 to 1994, she was Minister of State for Education and Minister of State for the Home Office
Home Office
The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...
from 1994 to 1997. In 1997 she was given an honorary doctorate of Law
Doctor of law
Doctor of Law or Doctor of Laws is a doctoral degree in law. The application of the term varies from country to country, and includes degrees such as the LL.D., Ph.D., J.D., J.S.D., and Dr. iur.-Argentina:...
from the University of Teesside
University of Teesside
Teesside University is a university in Middlesbrough, England. It has a student body of 29,285 students as of the 2009/10 academic year. It recorded rises in applications of 25.1 per cent and 23.5 per cent for degree courses beginning in 2010, the highest such percentage increases of the five...
and was Deputy Leader of the Opposition
Leader of the Opposition (UK)
The Leader of Her Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition in the United Kingdom is the politician who leads the Official Opposition in the United Kingdom. There is also a Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords...
in 2001.
Family
On 7 September 1963, she married John Richard Blatch (a RAFRoyal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
pilot) and they had four children: David (b. 1965 - d. 1979), James Richard (b. 1967) and twins, Andrew Edward (b. 1968) and Elizabeth Anne (b. 1968).
Death
Blatch died of pancreatic cancerPancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer refers to a malignant neoplasm of the pancreas. The most common type of pancreatic cancer, accounting for 95% of these tumors is adenocarcinoma, which arises within the exocrine component of the pancreas. A minority arises from the islet cells and is classified as a...
in 2005, aged 67.