Marion Greeves

Marion Greeves, MBE (née Cadbury; 18 July 1894 – 4 July 1979)[2] was a British politician who was the first of only two female members of the Senate of Northern Ireland. She was elected to serve as an independent member on 20 June 1950, retiring on 10 June 1969. Greeves was awarded an MBE in 1947, mostly for her work with the Women’s Voluntary Service (WVS).[3] She was also Chief Commissioner of Girl Guides in Ulster. In 1957 she received the Silver Fish Award, Girl Guiding’s highest adult honour.[4]

Personal life

Born Marion “Molly” Janet Cadbury in England, Greeves was the daughter of George Cadbury, a Quaker philanthropist, and his second wife, Elizabeth Mary Taylor.[5]

Political career

Greeves was elected to Armagh County Council soon after she returned to Ireland from France. She joined the Ulster Women’s Unionist Association in 1925, taking on multiple roles over the years, including senior vice-president in 1975.[22]

She was motivated to get involved in politics “after seeing the conditions in the institution in the city”.[23] One of her first jobs was as secretary of Portadown Infant Welfare, a position she held for over 30 years.[24] Her political work encompassed health, welfare and education. She established an infants' welfare centre, of which she became honorary secretary. She was chair of the Armagh County Welfare Committee from 1947 to 1969.[25] She was also a member of the town planning committee[26] and in 1965 spoke in support of establishing a university in Armagh.[27]

In 1963 she was the first woman to be elected chair of the Northern Ireland Association of County and County Borough Welfare Committee, having previously been the vice-chair.[28] In 1972 she was elected to the new Southern Health and Personal Social Services Board.[29] She was also vice-chair of the Armagh County Health Committee.[30]

In 1965 Greeves featured on a TV show, ‘Lady in Question’, talking about her “life in the front line of battle.”[31] In 1966 she was reported as speaking out against the docking of horse tails, which had been outlawed in the 1952 Protection of Animals Act, but evidence of the practice had been seen at the annual Balmoral Show.[32]

Senator

Greeves was the first woman to be elected to the Senate of Northern Ireland,[33] as an independent member, on 20 June 1950, serving until 1969. In 1964 she was cited as “the lone figure standing for the rights of women against the 25 male senators”.[34] Greeves was the only senator to serve between 1921 and 1969 who was not a member of the Orange Order.[35] Upon her retirement it was said “it was in the field of the aged that her leadership had produced the greatest change in circumstances and opinions [in Northern Ireland]”.[36] In 1966 she was elected to the Grand Jury for County Armagh, the only woman to have held the role up to that point.[37]

honorific suffix	MBE
birth name	Marion Janet Cadbury
birth date	July 18, 1894
birth place	Selly Oak, Birmingham, England
death date	July 7, 1979
death place	Portadown, County Down, Ireland
known for	Member of the Senate of Northern Ireland
parents	George Cadbury Elizabeth Taylor
children	5 including Rosemary Cadbury Dickson‡R1R‡
relatives	Egbert Cadbury (brother) Edward Cadbury (half-brother) Richard Cadbury (paternal uncle)

Personal life

WWI

After WWI

Portadown Infant Welfare Centre

WWII

Political career

Senator

Girl Guides

Other activities

See also

References