Vera Terrington

Background

She was born Vera Florence Annie Bousher, the second daughter of Henry George Bousher a druggist"s assistant, and Anne Elizabeth Koster.

Career

She joined the Liberal party and took an active interest in the affairs of South Buckinghamshire. She served as Vice-President of the Buckinghamshire Lace Association. At the 1922 general election, she stood as a Liberal candidate in the Wycombe division of Buckinghamshire.

She managed to secure a good second place.

She was one of only thirty-three women candidates standing at that election. She contested Wycombe again at the December 1923 general election, and was elected to the House of Commons defeating the sitting Unionist member.

This made her one of only eight women in the House of Commons. In Parliament, she supported the abolition of the means test for old-age pensions, making her maiden speech seconding a motion on the subject.

She also actively supported the Guardianship of Infants Bill which would have given both parents equal rights to custody.

She also campaigned against cruelty to animals. She lost her seat a year later, at the 1924 general election, an election in which Liberal candidates did badly across the country. She did not stand for parliament again.

In 1925 she was re-adopted by Wycombe Liberals as their candidate for the following election but withdrew due to problems in her personal life.

After 1949 she moved to South Africa. She did not enter public life in South Africa.

She returned to Britain and died on 19 May 1973. She was cremated at Eastbourne on 30 May 1973.

Her ashes were interred in East Hoathly Churchyard, East Sussex on 1 August 1973.

At the time of her death she was living at Monks Cottage, Graywood, East Hoathly. Her age was given as 84.

Achievements

• Wycombe was a Unionist seat where no Liberal candidate had stood at the previous election and no Liberal had won since 1906.

Politics

She was active inside the Liberal Party at a national level, particularly with the Women"s Liberal Federation moving a resolution promoting women"s rights on a broad front and specifically calling for an equal franchise.

Membership

33rd United Kingdom Parliament]

She was a Member of the Grand Council of Our Dumb Friends League.