Patricia Rawlings, Baroness Rawlings

Last updated

David Wolfson
(m. 1962;div. 1967)
The Baroness Rawlings
Baroness-in-waiting
Government Whip
In office
11 May 2010 25 June 2012
Alma mater University College London

Patricia Elizabeth Rawlings, Baroness Rawlings (born 27 January 1939) is a Conservative Party politician and former frontbencher in the House of Lords. She was also a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from 1989 to 1994. She was Chairman of King's College London Council from 1998 to 2007, and was made a Fellow of King's College (FKC) in 2003. She was President of the National Council for Voluntary Organisations from 2002 to 2007, and President of the British Antique Dealers' Association 2005–2013. She is also a trustee of the Chevening Estate.[ citation needed ]

Contents

Education

Rawlings was educated in the United Kingdom and Switzerland. She trained as a nurse at Westminster Hospital and is an active member of the British Red Cross (she was awarded the British Red Cross national Badge of Honour in 1987). She was a mature student at University College London and studied for a postgraduate diploma in International Relations from the London School of Economics. She was awarded an Hon DLitt from the University of Buckingham in 1998.[ citation needed ]

Political career

Having unsuccessfully fought Sheffield Central in 1983 and Doncaster Central in 1987, Rawlings was elected at the 1989 European election as the MEP for Essex South West. That constituency was abolished for the 1994 European election when she was defeated by Labour's Hugh Kerr in the new Essex West and Hertfordshire East constituency.

She was created a life peer with the title Baroness Rawlings, of Burnham Westgate in the County of Norfolk on 5 October 1994 and entered the House of Lords where she held several frontbench positions. [1] She served as an Opposition Whip (1997–1998), Spokesperson on Culture, Media and Sport (1997–1998), Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1998–2010) and International Development (1998–2010). Following the 2010 general election, she served as the Government Whip with responsibility for Culture, Media and Sport and for Scotland.

Baroness Rawlings retired from the government on 25 June 2012. [2]

Controversy

In 2002 Baroness Rawlings became involved in a controversy over a 1.8-acre (7,300 m2) piece of land, owned by King's College London, and formerly owned by St Thomas' Hospital. King's had instructed Jones Lang LaSalle to value the site, resulting in a valuation of £10 million.[ citation needed ] An offer to buy the land for up to £24 million came unexpectedly from the Aga Khan Development Network, causing opposition from St Thomas'. [3] It was rumoured that Baroness Rawlings had engineered the unsolicited offer[ citation needed ] which she strenuously denied, saying that as Chairman of King's College London Council she knew absolutely nothing about any such bid.[ citation needed ] Baroness Rawlings insisted that it was a valuable part of the King's College London estate and that it should be sold to the highest bidder on the open market. The College eventually decided to retain the property.

Personal life

Patricia Rawlings was married in 1962 to businessman David Wolfson, later Baron Wolfson of Sunningdale (1935-2021), but divorced in 1967; both partners held noble titles in their own right. She was the Honorary Secretary of Grillion's dining club, and a member of the Pilgrims Society.

She lives in Burnham Westgate Hall, a Sir John Soane-designed house in Burnham Market, Norfolk, with parkland of over 30 acres, which property was put up for sale in 2019 with a guide price of £3.8M. The house had been previously put up for sale by Baroness Rawlings, in 2011, with a price of £7M; Johnny Depp, the film actor, was said to want to buy the property at that time, but no sale occurred. [4]

Foreign orders and decorations

Arms

Coat of arms of Patricia Rawlings, Baroness Rawlings
Coronet of a British Baron.svg
Escutcheon of Patricia Rawlings, Baroness Rawlings.svg
Coronet
A Coronet of a Baroness
Crest
Out of a Ducal Coronet Or a Griffin's Head Azure gorged with a Bar Gemelle Gules between two Wings expanded of the second
Escutcheon
Quarterly barry wavy of six Argent and Azure and Argent on a Cross Gules between in the second and third quarters an Escallop Azure a Seax fesswise point to the sinister surmounted by an Ostrich Plume palewise Argent between in chief and in base a Bee Volant proper on a Bordure Azure twelve Mullets Or
Supporters
Dexter: a Lion rampant Or gorged with a Riband Azure pendant from the knot thereof a Rose Argent barbed and seeded proper; Sinister: an Elephant Ermine gorged with a Chain Or pendant therefrom a Portcullis Sable
Motto
Perserverantia, Integritas Et Fidelitas (Perseverance, integrity and loyalty)

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Valerie Amos, Baroness Amos</span> British diplomat (born 1954)

Valerie Ann Amos, Baroness Amos is a British Labour Party politician and diplomat who served as the eighth UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator. Before her appointment to the UN, she served as British High Commissioner to Australia. She was created a life peer in 1997, serving as Leader of the House of Lords and Lord President of the Council from 2003 to 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gillian Shephard</span> British Conservative politician

Gillian Patricia Shephard, Baroness Shephard of Northwold,, is a British Conservative politician who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for South West Norfolk from 1987 to 2005. Shephard served as a Cabinet Minister, and is now Chairman of the Association of Conservative Peers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patricia Scotland</span> British Dominican barrister, diplomat and Labour life peer (born 1955)

Patricia Janet Scotland, Baroness Scotland of Asthal,, is a Dominican-British barrister and politician, serving as the sixth secretary-general of the Commonwealth of Nations. She was elected at the 2015 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting and took office on 1 April 2016. She is the first woman to hold the post.

Sir Thomas Anthony Cunningham is a British politician who served as member of parliament (MP) for Workington from 2001 to 2015. A member of the Labour Party, he was Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for Cumbria and Lancashire North from 1994 to 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eluned Morgan</span> First Minister of Wales since 2024

Mair Eluned Morgan, Baroness Morgan of Ely,, is a Welsh Labour politician who has served as First Minister of Wales and Leader of Welsh Labour since 2024. She previously served as Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care in the Welsh Government from 2021 to 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patricia Hollis, Baroness Hollis of Heigham</span> British Baroness (1941–2018)

Patricia Lesley Hollis, Baroness Hollis of Heigham, PC, DL was a historian and a Labour member of the House of Lords of the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barbara Keeley</span> British politician (born 1952)

Barbara Mary Keeley, Baroness Keeley, is a British Labour Party politician. She served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Worsley and Eccles South, previously Worsley, from 2005 to 2024, and has been a member of the House of Lords since 2024.

Lords-in-waiting (male) or baronesses-in-waiting (female) are peers who hold office in the Royal Household of the sovereign of the United Kingdom. In the official Court Circular they are styled "Lord in Waiting" or "Baroness in Waiting".

Hugh Kerr is a Scottish politician and a former lecturer in social policy at the Polytechnic of North London. He was elected a Labour Party Member of the European Parliament (MEP) in June 1994 to represent the euro-constituency of Essex West & Hertfordshire East until 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burnham Market</span> Coastal village in Norfolk, England

Burnham Market is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The village is located 19 miles (31 km) north-east of King's Lynn and 32 miles (51 km) north-west of Norwich.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lindsay Northover, Baroness Northover</span> British academic and Liberal Democrat politician

Lindsay Patricia Northover, Baroness Northover, is a British academic, Liberal Democrat politician, member of the House of Lords, and former junior government minister.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Wolfson, Baron Wolfson of Sunningdale</span> British politician (1935–2021)

David Wolfson, Baron Wolfson of Sunningdale was a British Conservative politician and businessman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kay Swinburne, Baroness Swinburne</span> British politician (born 1967)

Jacqueline Kay Swinburne, Baroness Swinburne is a British politician and life peer. She was a member of the European Parliament (MEP) for Wales between 2009 and 2019, representing the Conservative Party, and became a member of the House of Lords in 2023. She was appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Housing and Communities from 1 March 2024 for Baroness Penn as a Minister on Leave.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christine Crawley, Baroness Crawley</span> British politician

Christine Mary Crawley, Baroness Crawley FRSA is a British politician for the Labour Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pat Llewelyn-Davies, Baroness Llewelyn-Davies of Hastoe</span> British politician (1915–1997)

Annie Patricia Llewelyn-Davies, Baroness Llewelyn-Davies of Hastoe,, was a British Labour Party politician and life peer. In 1973 she became the first woman to take charge of a whip's office in either of the houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and she served in the 1974 to 1979 Labour Government as Captain of the Gentlemen-at-Arms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Susan Williams, Baroness Williams of Trafford</span> British politician and life peer (born 1967)

Susan Frances Maria Williams, Baroness Williams of Trafford is a Conservative life peer who served as the Chief Whip of the House of Lords and Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms between 2022 and 2024. In March 2022 she was made a member of the Privy Council. She has been Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords since July 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Natalie Evans, Baroness Evans of Bowes Park</span> British politician (born 1975)

Natalie Jessica Evans, Baroness Evans of Bowes Park,, is a British politician and member of the House of Lords. A member of the Conservative Party, she was made a life peer in 2014 and from 2016 to 2022 was Leader of the House of Lords. She was the first Leader of the House of Lords to serve under two different prime ministers since Lord Shepherd in 1974, and the longest serving Lords leader since 1951.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nosheena Mobarik</span> British life peer (born 1957)

Nosheena Shaheen Mobarik, Baroness Mobarik is a British Conservative politician and Life Peer. She served as a Member of European Parliament for Scotland from 2017 to 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burnham Westgate Hall</span> Country house in Norfolk, England

Burnham Westgate Hall is a Georgian country house near Burnham Market, Norfolk, about 2 mi (3.2 km) south of the north Norfolk coast. It was remodelled in Palladian style in the 1780s by John Soane: it was Soane's first substantial country house commission, immediately before he started Letton Hall in 1784.

References

  1. "Baroness Rawlings". UK Parliament. Retrieved 7 November 2018.
  2. "Appointment of a Lord in Waiting (Government Whip) - News stories - GOV.UK". www.gov.uk. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
  3. "Site sale row may cost King's College £14m". 8 August 2002. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
  4. Culot, Caroline (13 June 2019). "Frugal baroness to auction items from her Norfolk mansion". Eastern Daily Press. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of the European Parliament for Essex South West
19891994
Constituency abolished
(see Essex West & Hertfordshire East)