Margaret Elizabeth Wingfield (19 January 1912 – 6 April 2002) was a British

Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. __TOC__ Active liberal parties This is a li ...

politician and

President of the Liberal Party This is a list of people who served as President of the British Liberal Party. The Liberal Party merged into the Liberal Democrats in 1988. The post was established in 1877 as President of the National Liberal Federation. In 1936, this body was r ...

from 1975 to 1976.

Background

Wingfield was educated at

Freiburg University The University of Freiburg (colloquially german: Uni Freiburg), officially the Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg (german: Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg), is a public research university located in Freiburg im Breisgau, Baden-Württemb ...

and the

London School of Economics The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) is a public university, public research university located in London, England and a constituent college of the federal University of London. Founded in 1895 by Fabian Society members Sidn ...

. She was a social worker and housewife. She was the niece of the Liberal

Member of Parliament A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members o ...

(MP)

Charles McCurdy Charles Albert McCurdy (13 March 1870 – 10 November 1941) was a British Liberal Member of Parliament and minister in the Lloyd George Coalition Government. He was made a member of the Privy Council in 1920. Background McCurdy was educated a ...

. Her granddaughter is Carita Ogden, who was a Liberal Democrat Councillor in the London Borough of Lambeth.

Political career

Wingfield was active internally with the Liberal Party. She served on the Liberal Party Council from 1962. She was an executive member, of the British Group of

Liberal International Liberal International (LI) is a worldwide organization of liberal political parties - a political international. It was founded in Oxford in 1947 and has become the pre-eminent network for liberal parties, aiming to strengthen liberalism aroun ...

. She was Chairman of the Liberal Party social security panel.The Times House of Commons, 1970 She was President of the Liberal Party from 1975 to 1976. Her term of office coincided with the time of the revelations about party leader,

Jeremy Thorpe John Jeremy Thorpe (29 April 1929 – 4 December 2014) was a British politician who served as the Member of Parliament for North Devon from 1959 to 1979, and as leader of the Liberal Party from 1967 to 1976. In May 1979 he was tried at the ...

's private life and his subsequent resignation. Wingfield also stood as a Liberal candidate for public office. She stood as a candidate in

Putney Putney () is a district of southwest London, England, in the London Borough of Wandsworth, southwest of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London. History Putney is an ancient paris ...

at the

1961 London County Council election An election to the County Council of London took place on 13 April 1961. It proved to be the last election to the council, and plans for its replacement by the Greater London Council were already in process. The council was elected by First Pas ...

. She also stood four times for parliament; for

Wokingham Wokingham is a market town in Berkshire, England, west of London, southeast of Reading, north of Camberley and west of Bracknell. History Wokingham means 'Wocca's people's home'. Wocca was apparently a Saxon chieftain who may ...

in 1964 and 1966, at the 1967 Walthamstow West by-election and for Chippenham in 1970.

External links

"She kept the Liberals together after the Jeremy Thorpe affair" (obituary)
''The Guardian'', London, 17 April 2002.

References

1912 births 2002 deaths Alumni of the London School of Economics University of Freiburg alumni Liberal Party (UK) parliamentary candidates Presidents of the Liberal Party (UK) Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Presidents of the National Council of Women of Great Britain {{UK-politician-stub