Mary Wilson, Baroness Wilson of Rievaulx

Gladys Mary Wilson, Lady Wilson of Rievaulx (12 January 1916 – 6 June 2018) was an English poet. She was the widow of Harold Wilson, who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in the mid- to late-1960s and mid-1970s. Her birth name was Gladys Mary Baldwin.


The Lady Wilson of Rievaulx
Mary Wilson at the White House.tiff
Mary Wilson in 1970
Spouse of the Prime Minister
of the United Kingdom
In role
4 March 1974 – 5 April 1976
Preceded byVacant[nb]
Succeeded byAudrey Callaghan
In role
16 October 1964 – 19 June 1970
Preceded byLady Douglas-Home
Succeeded byVacant[nb]
Personal details
Born
Gladys Mary Baldwin

(1916-01-12)12 January 1916
Diss, Norfolk, England
Died6 June 2018(2018-06-06) (aged 102)
St Thomas' Hospital, London, England
Resting placeSt Mary's Old Church
NationalityBritish
Political partyLabour
Spouse(s)
Children2, including Robin
EducationMilton Mount College
Occupation
n.b. ^ 

Private Eye regularly published satirical pages under the title Mrs Wilson's diary in the 1960s when she was living in Downing Street with Harold. It was in the style of the BBC radio serial Mrs Dale's Diary. In 1969 it was made into a movie.[1]

In 1970 her volume of poetry, Selected Poems, was published and in 1976 Wilson was one of three judges of the Man Booker Prize, the other judges being Walter Allen and Francis King.[2]

In 2013, aged 97, she attended the funeral of Margaret Thatcher.[3]

In 2016, she became the first spouse of a British prime minister to turn 100.[4][5]

Wilson died on 6 June 2018, of a stroke, in London at age 102.[6] She is the longest-lived spouse of a British prime minister in history.[dated info]

References

  1. Thomas-Symonds, Nick (2023). Harold Wilson the winner. London: Weidenfield & Nicolson. p. 201. ISBN 9781474611961.
  2. Tears, tiffs and triumphs. 6 September 2008. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2008/sep/06/bookerprize.40years. Retrieved 22 February 2017. 
  3. "Final guest list for Lady Thatcher's funeral" (PDF). Gov.uk. 17 October 2013. p. 19. Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 20 February 2017.
  4. McSmith, Andy (8 January 2016). "Mary Wilson: Wife of former Prime Minister Harold turning 100 years-old". The Independent. Retrieved 11 February 2017.
  5. Hirst, Andrew (12 January 2016). Harold Wilson's loyal wife Mary reaches her 100th birthday. Trinity Mirror. http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/harold-wilsons-loyal-wife-mary-10717342. Retrieved 16 January 2016. 
  6. Elliott, Francis. Mary Wilson, widow of the prime minister Harold Wilson, dies aged 102. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/mary-wilson-widow-of-the-prime-minister-harold-wilson-dies-aged-102-zxnljdgrv. Retrieved 7 June 2018. 

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