Dr Hilda Mary Adela Buckmaster BSc. (January 1897 – April 1993), was a British academic and

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. For example, while the political systems ...

politician. She was notably and unusually a naval officer in both World Wars.

Background

Hilda Buckmaster was born in

Brentford Brentford is a suburban town in West (London sub region), West London, England and part of the London Borough of Hounslow. It lies at the confluence of the River Brent and the River Thames, Thames, west of Charing Cross. Its economy has dive ...

Middlesex Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a Historic counties of England, former county in South East England, now mainly within Greater London. Its boundaries largely followed three rivers: the River Thames, Thames in the south, the River Lea, Le ...

in 1897. She was the daughter of Charles Alexander Buckmaster and Lucy Ormerod Mar. She was the niece of

Stanley Buckmaster, 1st Viscount Buckmaster Stanley Owen Buckmaster, 1st Viscount Buckmaster, (9 January 1861 – 5 December 1934) was a British lawyer and Liberal Party politician. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) for most of the years from 1906 to 1915, when he was elevated to the ...

, who served in the Liberal Government led by

H. H. Asquith Herbert Henry Asquith, 1st Earl of Oxford and Asquith (12 September 1852 – 15 February 1928) was a British statesman and Liberal Party (UK), Liberal politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1908 to 1916. He was the last ...

. She was educated before the first world war at

Haberdashers' Aske's School for Girls Haberdashers' Girls' School is a Private schools in the United Kingdom, private 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 sch ...

in Acton. After the war in 1919 she continued her studies at the

London School of Economics The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), established in 1895, is a public research university in London, England, and a member institution of the University of London. The school specialises in the social sciences. Founded ...

. In 1922 while researching for her doctorate in International Relations, she was chosen by

David Lloyd George David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor (17 January 1863 – 26 March 1945) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1916 to 1922. A Liberal Party (United Kingdom), Liberal Party politician from Wales, he was known for leadi ...

's government to travel to Germany as a British commissioner to study municipal affairs. She was involved in the founding of the National Union of Students holding a number of honorary posts.Jews and other foreigners: Manchester and the rescue of the victims of European Fascism 1933–40 by Bill Williams She was also involved in sport, representing the LSE Women's Hockey XI in the 1923–24 season. In 1924 she graduated in Public Administration. She took a post-graduate course in international relations in 1930.

Professional career

In 1914 at the age of seventeen Buckmaster volunteered with the

Red Cross The organized International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is a Humanitarianism, humanitarian movement with approximately 16million volunteering, volunteers, members, and staff worldwide. It was founded to protect human life and health, to ...

. In 1917 she joined the newly formed Women's Royal Navy Service, working as a motor mechanic. After graduating she spent 18 months in eastern Poland with the Quaker Relief Service, 1925–26. She worked as a deck hand on the SS Panape, a sailing ship trading between Australia and Finland. In 1936 she was appointed warden of the Women's Student Hall, at

Manchester University The University of Manchester is a public university, public research university in Manchester, England. The main campus is south of Manchester city centre, Manchester City Centre on Wilmslow Road, Oxford Road. The University of Manchester is c ...

. In 1938, having made contact with Rose Bluhm, the wife of a Jewish mathematics teacher living in Breslau (now Wrocław in Poland), Buckmaster ensured that Bluhm's son Michael was able to attend

Dartington Hall Dartington Hall in Dartington, near Totnes, Devon, England, is an historic house and country estate of dating from medieval times. The group of late 14th century buildings are Grade I listed; described in Pevsner's Buildings of England as ...

in Devon. She also enabled Michael Bluhm's friend Karl Wolfgang Plessner, later known as "Tony," the son of a Jewish doctor in Breslau, to attend

Bury Grammar School Bury Grammar School is a 3–18 private day school for boys in Bury, Greater Manchester, England, that has existed since c.1570. It is now part of a group of schools for preschool, junior, senior and sixth form studies. Since 2017, when Bu ...

. Buckmaster, who, in Plessner's memory, identified herself by a "white handkerchief tied around her arm," met Plessner at the Manchester train station in late January 1939 and drove him to his Jewish guarantors in Bury. At the outbreak of war in 1939 she was called up by the Admiralty to serve in the WRNS as a Third Officer. She was promoted to Chief Officer. In 1946 she was appointed secretary of Crosby Hall, hostel for women undergraduates of

London University The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals) is a federal public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degr ...

. She was assistant secretary to the North Islington Infant Welfare Centre. She emigrated to Canada in 1954 and became a Canadian citizen in 1955. Following a request from the Canadian Government, Queen Elizabeth II awarded her with a silver medal for outstanding service to her country.

Political career

In the early 1930s Buckmaster became active in politics with the Liberal Party. She was also active with the

League of Nations Union The League of Nations Union (LNU) was an organization formed in October 1918 in Great Britain to promote international justice, collective security and a permanent peace between nations based upon the ideals of the League of Nations. The League o ...

serving for three years as the Essex Organiser. She was Liberal candidate for the

Maldon Maldon (, locally ) is a town and civil parish on the Blackwater Estuary in Essex, England. It is the seat of the Maldon District and starting point of the Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation. It is known for Maldon Sea Salt which is prod ...

division of

Essex Essex ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East of England, and one of the home counties. It is bordered by Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, the North Sea to the east, Kent across the Thames Estuary to the ...

at the 1935 General Election. Following a move to Manchester she was selected as Liberal prospective parliamentary candidate for

Manchester Rusholme Manchester Rusholme is a parliamentary constituency centred on the Rusholme district of Manchester. It returns one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post syst ...

for the general election expected to take place in 1939/1940. Due to the outbreak of war, the election was postponed. She remained prospective candidate for Rusholme up until early May 1945 before she switched to contest the

Chelmsford Chelmsford () is a city in the City of Chelmsford district in the county of Essex, England. It is the county town of Essex and one of three cities in the county, along with Colchester and Southend-on-Sea. It is located north-east of London ...

division of

. In 1949 she was a Liberal candidate for North Stanley ward in the Chelsea Metropolitan Borough Council elections. She was Liberal candidate for the Holborn and St. Pancras South division of London at the 1950 General Election. She did not stand for parliament again.British parliamentary election results 1950–1983, Craig, F.W.S.

Electoral record

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Buckmaster, Hilda Mary Adela 1897 births 1993 deaths Liberal Party (UK) parliamentary candidates People educated at Haberdashers' Girls' School Alumni of the London School of Economics Women's Royal Naval Service personnel of World War I Women's Royal Naval Service personnel of World War II Women's Royal Naval Service officers

Hilda Hilda is one of several feminine given names derived from the name ''Hild'', formed from Old Norse , meaning 'battle'. Hild, a Nordic-German Bellona, was a Valkyrie who conveyed fallen warriors to Valhalla. Warfare was often called Hild's Game. ...