Margaret Hilda Thatcher was born October 13, 1925, the daughter of a grocer who was active in local politics as borough councilor, alderman and mayor of Grantham. She was educated at Kesteven and Grantham Girls’ High School and won a scholarship to Somerville College, Oxford, where she obtained a degree in natural science (chemistry). She is also a master of arts of Oxford University. In June 1983, she was elected Fellow of the Royal Society.
While an undergraduate, she was president of the Oxford University Conservative Association. As Miss Margaret Roberts, she contested two parliamentary elections of the Conservative Party, in 1950 and 1951, before being elected (after her marriage) to the House of Commons in 1959 as Member for Finchley. Lady Thatcher was elected leader of the Conservative Party and thus leader of the opposition on February 1975.
Lady Thatcher’s husband, Sir Denis Thatcher, whom she married in 1951, served in the Second World War as a major in the Royal Artillery. He is a former director of Burmah Castrol and is a director of other companies. He was made a baronet in December 1990. Sir Denis and Lady Thatcher have a twin son and daughter, Mark and Carol, who were born August 15, 1953.
Lady Thatcher is chancellor at Buckingham University, England, and chancellor of William and Mary College, Virginia. She has received a large number of awards and honorary degrees. Lady Thatcher is patron of a number of charities and has established her own foundation.
“Look at a day when you are supremely satisfied at the end. It’s not a day when you lounge around doing nothing; it’s when you’ve had everything to do and you’ve done it.”
“Of course it’s the same old story. Truth usually is the same old story.”
“Being powerful is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren’t.”
“Disciplining yourself to do what you know is right and importance, although difficult, is the highroad to pride, self-esteem, and personal satisfaction.”
“If you just set out to be liked, you would be prepared to compromise on anything at any time, and you would achieve nothing.”
“Standing in the middle of the road is very dangerous; you get knocked down by the traffic from both sides.”