Cynthia Crawford (personal assistant)

Cynthia Crawford was the personal assistant to Margaret Thatcher. A member of the local Conservative party in Finchley, she was Thatcher's constituency assistant. She married Ray Crawford and lived in Worcester.[1] She later helped run Thatcher's household throughout the latter's tenure as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and acted as her confidante. She was known as "Crawfie" to the Thatchers.[2]

Crawford has given several interviews about her experiences, including details of Thatcher's fondness for drinking spirits late at night and her use of B12 injections.[2] According to Crawford, Thatcher believed that whisky kept her alert, saying "Dear, you cannot drink gin and tonic in the middle of the night. You must have whisky to give you energy."[3]

Thatcher told Crawford about her first meeting with then-governor Ronald Reagan, shortly after she had become Conservative party leader. Reagan had told her that he "intended to try and become President". Thatcher said to him, "I am going to become prime minister.[4]

Crawford was present at the death of Denis Thatcher, saying "I was holding Lady Thatcher's hand, and she was holding Sir Denis's hand when he died". She said "he was her absolute soulmate."[1]

She latterly lived as Lady Thatcher's friend and companion.[5]

In the BBC drama Margaret, Crawford was played by Jenny Howe and in the 2011 film The Iron Lady by Angela Curran.

References

  1. 1 2 Colin Brown, 'I was holding Lady Thatcher's hand and she was holding Denis's when he died. There were no final words', The Telegraph, 29 Jun 2003.
  2. 1 2 Morris, Steven (24 February 2003). "Whisky and B12 shots fortified Iron Lady". The Guardian.
  3. ↑ Richard Brooks, "Thatcher’s all-nighters on whisky", The Sunday Times, February 23, 2003
  4. ↑ Conor Burns "The three who changed the world - Reagan, Thatcher and John Paul II, TotalPolitics, 04 Jul 2011 11:35
  5. ↑ Mailonline, Twilight of a Titan
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