A jacket and shoes worn by Baroness Betty Boothroyd when she was Madam Speaker could sell for more than £2,000 at auction.
The famous former Speaker of the House of Commons, the first and only woman ever to hold the position, is selling a single-breasted black jacket by Ede and Ravenscroft Ltd, London’s oldest tailor and robe maker, estimate £1,000-£2,000, and a pair of size 5 Tiffany of London court shoes, £200-£300.
The items are due to go under the hammer at Hansons London on September 25 and, thanks to the 91-year-old former MP’s enduring popularity, are expected to do well.
Chris Kirkham, associate director of Hansons London, said: “Baroness Boothroyd is a national treasure and she wore these items when she was Madam Speaker, which makes them part of Britain’s political history. She served as speaker from 1992 to 2000 and built a formidable reputation for her ability to keep order.
“Hansons London held a successful sale of around 70 items belonging to the baroness earlier this year when she was downsizing. She is a wonderful lady and always makes me smile. She told me any money raised from the sale of the Madam Speaker shoes and jacket would go towards a new garage door.”
Her popularity blended with political provenance proved irresistible to bidders in the April 2021 auction in London. For example, a 20th century Papier-mâché box given to her as a gift by Russian president Boris Yeltsin, soared to £2,400 – 48 times its £50 estimate.
The former West Bromwich MP, who downsized from London to a cottage in Cambridgeshire, said at the time: “I cherished every single thing but I had to let go. They were a reminder of a colourful life.”
Baroness Boothroyd was born in Dewsbury, Yorkshire, in 1929, the only child of Ben Archibald Boothroyd and wife Mary, textile workers. She was educated at council schools and went on to study at Dewsbury College of Commerce and Art. From 1946 to 1952, she worked as a dancer and performed at the London Palladium. However, a foot infection, brought an end to her dancing career, and she entered politics.
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Running for the Labour Party, she contested several seats before being elected MP for West Bromwich in 1973. In 1992 she was elected Speaker of the House of Commons, the first woman ever to hold the position in 700 years. She has received numerous awards and accolades but is most proud of her Order of Merit, an honour bestowed as a personal gift by the Queen.
She’s mixed with the great and the good including royalty and world leaders such as South Africa’s Nelson Mandela and former American president Bill Clinton.
The shoes, lot 18, and jacket, lot 17, will be sold at Hansons London on September 25. View the catalogue at www.hansonslive.co.uk. To find out more, or arrange a free valuation, email [email protected].
