Mary Grigg
Encyclopedia
Mary Victoria Cracroft Grigg, Lady Polson, MBE
(1897–1971) was a New Zealand
politician of the National Party
.
She represented the Mid-Canterbury
electorate in Parliament from 1942
after the death (on 29 November 1941) of her husband Arthur Nattle Grigg who she had married in 1920, and who had held the seat from 1938
. She retired on 30 August 1943 though, and, according to the New Zealand Parliamentary Record, married William Polson MP on 29 June 1943. She was awarded a M.B.E. in 1946.
She was the fourth woman to be elected to Parliament after Elizabeth McCombs
, Catherine Stewart
and Mary Dreaver
, and the first woman not from the Labour Party
to be elected. Her maternal grandfather was Premier Sir John Hall
.
Lady Polson was the President of Victoria League Canterbury from 1965 to 1970.
MBE
MBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error...
(1897–1971) was a New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
politician of the National Party
New Zealand National Party
The New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:...
.
She represented the Mid-Canterbury
Mid-Canterbury
Mid-Canterbury is a former New Zealand Parliamentary electorate, in Canterbury.-History:The electorate existed from 1928 to 1946.Arthur Grigg, the MP elected in 1938, enlisted in the NZEF as a Major in World War II, and was killed in action in Libya in 1941. He was succeeded by his widow Mary Grigg...
electorate in Parliament from 1942
Mid-Canterbury by-election, 1942
The Mid-Canterbury by-election, 1942 was a by-election held on 27 January 1942 during the 26th New Zealand Parliament in the seat of Mid-Canterbury. They by-election came about because of the death of Arthur Grigg, his wife Mary Grigg was elected unopposed....
after the death (on 29 November 1941) of her husband Arthur Nattle Grigg who she had married in 1920, and who had held the seat from 1938
New Zealand general election, 1938
The 1938 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 26th term. It resulted in the governing Labour Party being re-elected, although the newly-founded National Party gained a certain amount of ground.-Background:The Labour Party had won...
. She retired on 30 August 1943 though, and, according to the New Zealand Parliamentary Record, married William Polson MP on 29 June 1943. She was awarded a M.B.E. in 1946.
She was the fourth woman to be elected to Parliament after Elizabeth McCombs
Elizabeth McCombs
Elizabeth McCombs was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party, and the first woman elected to the New Zealand Parliament. New Zealand women gained the right to vote in 1893, though were not allowed to stand for the House of Representatives until the election of 1919...
, Catherine Stewart
Catherine Stewart
Mrs Catherine Campbell Sword Stewart was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party.She won the seat of Wellington West in 1938, and was the second woman to be elected to Parliament after Elizabeth McCombs. She was defeated in the next election.Born in Glasgow, she migrated with her family to...
and Mary Dreaver
Mary Dreaver
Mrs Mary Manson Dreaver was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party.She won the seat of Waitemata in 1941 when a by-election was held after the death of the previous Labour Party MP, William John Lyon...
, and the first woman not from the Labour Party
New Zealand Labour Party
The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
to be elected. Her maternal grandfather was Premier Sir John Hall
John Hall (New Zealand)
Sir John Hall was born in Kingston upon Hull, England, and later became the 12th Prime Minister of New Zealand. He was also Mayor of Christchurch.-Migration to New Zealand:...
.
Lady Polson was the President of Victoria League Canterbury from 1965 to 1970.