Audrey Pellew Hylton-Foster, Baroness Hylton-Foster DBE (19 May 1908 – 31 October 2002), was the daughter of Douglas Clifton Brown, 1st Viscount Ruffside, and Violet Cicely Kathleen Wollaston. She married Sir Harry Braustyn Hylton-Foster, who had started a distinguished career at the Bar in 1931; they had no children.
Born in Simla, India, she was educated at St George’s, Ascot, and Ivy House, Wimbledon. Both her father and husband served as Speaker of the House of Commons.
Contents |
Audrey Hylton-Foster first lived at Speaker’s House during her father’s time there, when she went to recover from measles. While she was convalescing she started working for the British Red Cross, and this, apart from politics, became her life’s work.
During World War II she was a nurse at St Luke’s Hospital, Chelsea. She cycled thousands of miles around London on her Red Cross duties. In 1950 she became director of the Chelsea division of the British Red Cross. She was at various times president, chairman and patron of the London branch. In late 1980 she was acting as consultant at the national headquarters.
Her husband began his political career after World War II. He lost his first try at a seat in the House of Commons for the Shipley constituency in 1945. By 1950 he was Member of Parliament (MP) for York. In 1951 and 1955 his majorities were slim; however, in 1959, after changing constituencies, his majority was a very healthy 17,000.
After her husband's death in office in 1965 she was given a life peerage as Baroness Hylton-Foster, of the City of Westminster. Despite her prior objections to women politicians, she became an active member of the House of Lords, and for many years served as Convenor of the Crossbench peers.
Audrey Hylton-Foster lived in a converted Coach House on Leith Hill in Surrey. Each year she decided to open her gardens to the public, in order to raise money for various charities. One year,with help from actress Virginia McKenna, a substantial amount was raised for the Born Free Foundation. She was also a passionate gardener in her later years.
She died on 31 October 2002, at her home, aged 94.
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by The Lord Strang |
Convenor of the Crossbench Peers 1974–1995 |
Succeeded by The Lord Weatherill |
|
|||||