Priscilla Buchan, Baroness Tweedsmuir

Who was Priscilla Buchan, Baroness Tweedsmuir?

Priscilla Buchan, Baroness Tweedsmuir and Baroness Tweedsmuir of Belhelvie, PC was a Unionist and Conservative politician.

Born as Priscilla Jean Fortescue Thomson, the daughter of Brigadier Alan F. Thomson DSO, she married Major Sir Arthur Lindsay Grant, 11th Baronet, Grenadier Guards in 1934. He was killed in action in 1944. She subsequently married the author and politician, the 2nd Baron Tweedsmuir, in 1948.

Lady Tweedsmuir was an unsuccessful parliamentary candidate for Aberdeen North in July 1945, and was elected for Aberdeen South in 1946, holding the seat until 1966. She was a delegate to the Council of Europe from 1950–1953, a UK Delegate to the General Assembly of the United Nations, 1960–1961; Joint Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland from 1962–1964; Minister of State at the Scottish Office from 1970–1972 and at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office from 1972–1974. She was appointed a Privy Counsellor in 1974.

In 1970 she was created a life peer as Baroness Tweedsmuir of Belhelvie, of Potterton in the County of Aberdeen. In the House of Lords she served as Principal Deputy Chairman of Committees, 1974–1977 and as Chairman of the Select Committee on European Communities, 1974–1977. She was also a Deputy Speaker. She died of cancer in 1978, aged 63.