Frances Davidson, Viscountess Davidson Explained

Honorific-Prefix:The Right Honourable
The Viscountess Davidson
Birth Date:1894 5, df=yes
Birth Name:Frances Joan Dickinson
Office:Member of the House of Lords
Lord Temporal
Term Start:13 January 1964
Term End:25 November 1985
Life Peerage
Office1:Member of Parliament
for Hemel Hempstead
Term Start1:22 June 1937
Term End1:18 September 1959
Predecessor1:Sir J.C.C. Davidson
Successor1:James Allason
Parliament1:United Kingdom
Spouse:J. C. C. Davidson
Children:4, including Andrew
Parents:Sir Willoughby Dickinson
Elizabeth Meade
Nationality:British

Frances Joan Davidson, Viscountess Davidson, Baroness Northchurch, (née Dickinson; 29 May 1894 – 25 November 1985), styled Lady Davidson between 1935 and 1937 and as Viscountess Davidson between 1937 and 1985, was a British Conservative Party politician.

Background and education

She was the daughter of Sir Willoughby Dickinson, later Baron Dickinson. Her father, grandfather and great-grandfather were all Members of Parliament. She was educated at Kensington High School and Northfields, Englefield Green.

Career

During World War I, she served in the Red Cross POW Department and was appointed OBE in 1919. When her husband, Sir J. C. C. Davidson, was created Viscount Davidson in 1937, she was elected at a by-election to succeed him as Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) for Hemel Hempstead.[1] She held the seat until she retired from the House of Commons at the 1959 general election. For a short time after the 1945 general election, she was the only female Conservative MP.

Honours and arms

She was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in the 1952 Birthday Honours and created a life peer as Baroness Northchurch, of Chiswick in the County of Middlesex, on 13 January 1963. She and her husband were one of the few couples who both held titles in their own right.

Escutcheon:Two coats per pale: Dexter Argent on a fess Sable between in chief two pheons Azure and in base a boar's head erased of the second a portcullis chained Or (Davidson); sinister Or a bend cottised between two lions passant Gules (Dickinson).
Supporters:Dexter a horse Argent charged on the shoulder with a rose Gules barbed and seeded Proper, sinister a falcon Proper belled collared and lined Or.[2]

Family

Davidson had two sons and two daughters (Margaret, Jean, Andrew and Malcolm). She died aged 91, from natural causes. Both sons inherited their father's title, as Andrew Davidson, 2nd Viscount Davidson and Malcolm Davidson, 3rd Viscount Davidson.

Notes and References

  1. Book: Craig, F. W. S.. F. W. S. Craig. British parliamentary election results 1918–1949. 1969. 3rd. 1983. Parliamentary Research Services. Chichester. 0-900178-06-X. 372.
  2. Book: Debrett's Peerage . 1973.