PHOTOGRAPH ARCHIVE OF BOTH THE OFFICIAL AND PERSONAL TRAVELS OF BARONESS BETTY BOOTHROYD, FIRST FEMALE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS

- An album documenting Boothroyd's varied personal and official travels and engagements, including images of Boothroyd with Nelson Mandela, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip (3), David Hockney, Boris Yeltsin, and Bill Clinton (signed by Clinton in black ink: "To the Right Honourable / Betty Boothroyd, MP / with best wishes / Bill Clinton / 29. Sept. 1993"), as well as several official parliamentary photographs of Boothroyd, her inauguration as Chancellor of the Open University, visits to Kuala Lumpur, Morocco, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Egypt, Australia, Thailand, Cyprus, Trinidad, and Russia, 1993-1997, with scattered manuscript captions. Large oblong folio (51 x 31cm). Red and purple paper-covered boards. Containing 276 colour photographs (measuring between 25 x 20 and 6 x 6cm, the great majority large format) affixed to the pages, with tissue-guards. Section of blank pages at the rear. Six photographs apparently removed. Condition is very good, the binding secure although with some cracking to the front hinge and with a little wear and rubbing to the extremities. The contents with some tears and creasing to the tissue-guards are otherwise in very good order.

- A similar album documenting Boothroyd's varied personal and official travels and engagements, including images of Boothroyd with Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip (4), Margaret Thatcher, Tony Blair, Bill Clinton, Jacques Chirac, the presidents of Germany and Ecuador, the prime minister of Japan, the speakers of Oman, Egypt, Ghana, India, Finland, Chile, Slovenia, Pakistan, Sweden, New Zealand, as well as several photographs of her 1997 visit to Australia, including a signed photograph from Prime Minister John Howard ("It was nice to / have you. I hope you / liked it. / John Howard"), several official parliamentary photographs of Boothroyd, images of the state opening of Parliament, various official functions, a photograph of Boothroyd dressing for the recall of Parliament in September 1992 following 'Black Wednesday' (signed by the photographer Brian Harris to the foot), 1992-97, with scattered manuscript captions. Large oblong folio (51 x 31cm). Red and purple paper-covered boards. Containing 181 colour photographs (measuring between 35.5 x 28cm and 12.5 x 9cm, the great majority large format) loosely affixed to the pages, with tissue-guards. Section of blank pages at the rear. A number of photographs loose. 14 photographs apparently removed. Condition is good, the binding cracked at the front hinge and with wear and rubbing to the extremities. The contents with a 3cm tear to the right of the Brian Harris photograph, the occasional crease or minor tear to the odd photograph, and some tears and creasing to the tissue-guards, are otherwise in very good order.

- An album documenting a variety of official and personal events and visits in Britain and overseas, including photographs of Boothroyd with Queen Elizabeth II (7, including images of their unveiling of the 'Women of World War II' monument in Whitehall and of Boothroyd receiving the Order of Merit), "Off to Buckingham Palace for President Mandela's Banquet, July '96", Tony Blair, Neil and Glenys Kinnock, Barbara Castle and Dennis Healey, at Edward Heath's eightieth birthday, and "Lloyd Webber's house party", as well as photographs in and around Parliament, trips to Cyprus, Egypt, Zanzibar, China, South Africa, and Malta, and some of home-life at Thriplow, 1991-2005. Large folio (45.5 x 34cm). Navy-blue cloth with gilt title labels to the spine. Containing 632 colour photographs (the majority measuring 15 x 10.5cm, although with many larger and smaller) affixed to pages. Condition is very good.

- An album documenting official and personal visits by Boothroyd to the Netherlands, Cyprus (including photographs with the President), Sri Lanka, France, the USA, Namibia, Gibraltar, Hungary, Brazil, Colombia, Greece, India, Papua New Guinea, South Africa, Thailand, Italy, St. Lucia, Russia, Canada, Cuba, Egypt, and Dubai, as well as various other official engagements, including four photographs with Queen Elizabeth II, 1991-2003. Large folio (45.5 x 34cm). Navy-blue cloth with "B.B." in gilt to the spine. Containing 1,165 colour photographs (mostly measuring 15 x 10.5cm, with some larger and smaller) affixed to pages. Condition is very good.

- An album documenting a variety of official and personal visits by Boothroyd to Zimbabwe, Cyprus, Spain, Sri Lanka, Russia, and Egypt, 1987-90. 38 x 34cm. Black leatherette with gilt border to the upper board. Containing 262 colour photographs (mostly c.15 x 10.5cm) loosely laid down to the semi-adhesive pages with plastic cover sheet, with scattered manuscript captions. There is a little rubbing to the boards and some occasional light foxing to the pages, otherwise condition is very good. WITH: Typed notes of a Speech given by Boothroyd at a Commonwealth Speakers' conference in Harare, Zimbabwe in January 1990. 4pp.

- An album commemorating Boothroyd's visit to New Delhi, India, meeting the speaker and president, in August 1997. 34 x 32cm. Maroon leatherette with leather title label lettered in gilt to the upper board. Printed card to the front pastedown: "With compliments of P.A. Sangma, Speaker / Lok Sabha, New Delhi (India) / Rt. Hon. Betty Boothroyd". Containing 28 colour photographs (18 x 12.5cm) loosely laid down to the semi-adhesive pages with plastic cover sheet, with typed captions beneath. Two photographs apparently removed. Condition is very good.

- An album documenting an official visit by Boothroyd to Amritsar, India, 1997[?]. 28 x 23cm. Red cloth over padded boards. Manuscript inscription in ink to the front endpaper: "Presented by / K.B.S. Sidhu / Deputy Commissioner, / Amritsar, Punjab / India". Containing 96 colour photographs (17.5 x 12.5cm) loosely inserted into plastic pouch leaves. Condition is very good.

- An album documenting personal/professional visits by Boothroyd to Cyprus and Singapore, 1986-87. 32 x 32cm. Red leatherette with gilt borders to the upper board. Containing 97 colour photographs (measuring between 4.5 x 4.5 and 15 x 10cm) loosely laid down to the semi-adhesive pages with plastic cover sheet, a few manuscript labels denoting place/date. Condition is very good.

- An album commemorating an official visit by Boothroyd to Austria, September 1996. 31 x 29.5cm. Maroon leatherette with gilt image of the Austrian Parliament building to the upper board. Printed commemorative title page, signed in blue ink. Containing 28 colour photographs (21.5 x 15cm) laid down to pages, with tissue-guards. Condition is very good.

- An album documenting an official visit to Poland, 1996, including an official visit to Auschwitz. 32 x 26cm. Blue ring-binder. Containing 135 colour photographs (21 x 15cm) loosely inserted into plastic pouch leaves. Condition is very good.

- An album depicting Boothroyd's home-life at Thriplow, Cambridgeshire, 1974-75. 29.5 x 26cm. Red patterned cloth. Containing 100 colour photographs (mostly measuring 9 x 9cm) loosely laid down to the semi-adhesive pages with plastic cover sheet. Condition is very good.

- An album documenting personal trips to Mauritius, St. Lucia, and the US 1976-79, plus a few images of life at home in Thriplow. Red leatherette with gilt borders to the upper board. Containing 179 colour photographs (measuring between 19 x 13cm and 6 x 6cm) loosely laid down to the semi-adhesive pages with plastic cover sheet, a few manuscript labels denoting place/date. A little wear and marking to boards and a little scattered toning and foxing to the pages, otherwise condition is good.

- An album commemorating an official visit by Boothroyd to Shanghai, China, 1999. 29 x 24.5cm. Brown leatherette with titles in gilt to the upper board ("The Standing Committee of the Shanghai Municipal People's Congress"). Three ink signatures in Chinese characters to the rear pastedown. Containing 32 colour photographs (measuring between 28 x 13cm and 12.5 x 9cm) loosely laid down to the semi-adhesive pages with plastic cover sheet. Condition is very good.

- An album documenting Boothroyd's home-life and friendships, 1973-83. Large folio (50 x 35cm). Continental nineteenth-century full olive-green morocco with gilt decoration, monogram ("NRZ"[?]) and "Album No. III" in gilt to the upper board. All edges gilt. Gilt dentelles. Watered-silk endpapers. Containing 326 mostly colour photographs (measuring between 15 x 10cm and 1 x 1cm) affixed to thick card pages with scattered manuscript captions and numerous signatures of Boothroyd's friends. Condition is very good, the binding remains firm with some rubbing to the extremities. The contents with wear to the silk endpapers, a little adhesion to the surface of four photographs, and the odd small mark here and there are otherwise in good order. A repurposed ninteenth-century album with evidence of previous older contents having been removed.

- An album documenting personal trips to Mexico, Panama, Turkey, Greece, Cyprus, Kenya, 2007-08. Large folio (43.5 x 35cm). Blue leatherette. Containing 106 colour photographs (measuring between 17 x 12cm and 7 x 7cm), with scattered manuscript captions, affixed to pages, with tissue-guards. The majority of the leaves blank. Condition is very good.

- An album documenting official and personal visits by Boothroyd to Mexico, Nicaragua (including images of May Day demonstrations and meetings of Sandinistas), Malta, Italy, Cyprus, and Washington DC, 1987-89. 38 x 34cm. Navy-blue leatherette with gilt border to the upper board. Containing 200 colour photographs (mostly c.15 x 10.5cm) loosely laid down to the semi-adhesive pages with plastic cover sheet, with scattered manuscript captions. Condition is very good, with a little rubbing and marking to the boards.

- An album documenting the home life of Boothroyd, 1984-1991. 36.5 x 34.5cm. Brown leather. Containing 422 colour photographs (measuring between 15 x 10cm and 3 x 3cm) affixed to the pages, with scattered manuscript captions. Five photographs removed. Condition is good, the binding firm, the contents with light scattered foxing.

- A commemorative folder marking Boothroyd's official visit to Latvia, October 2000. Containing 14 colour photographs (24 x 18cm). Condition is very good.

- An album commemorating a visit by Boothroyd to her hometown of Dewsbury on the occasion of being granted the freedom of Kirklees. 37 x 31.5cm. Maroon leatherette with gilt borders to the upper board. Containing 32 colour and black and white photographs loosely laid down to the semi-adhesive pages with plastic cover sheet, with printed captions and newspaper clippings. Condition is very good.

WITH:

- A collection of 34 loose photographs, most notably including earlier black and white photographs recording trips by Boothroyd to China and North Vietnam during the 1950s. These comprise: three photographs of Boothroyd meeting Zhou Enlai, the first Premier of the People's Republic of China in 1957 (manuscript annotations to the reverse, two measuring 20.5 x 15cm and the other 14.5 x 10.5cm, the latter with remains of plastic tape to the edges); three photographs of Boothroyd meeting and dining with Ho Chi Minh, the communist revolutionary and President of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, two of the images also showing Prime Minister Pham Van Dong in 1957 (manuscript annotations to the reverse of one, 24 x 18cm); two other photographs of Boothroyd's 1957 trip to China/North Vietnam; four photographs depicting Boothroyd at the United Nations, c.1960s (the largest measuring 20.5 x 20.5cm and the smallest 11.5 x 8.5cm); five later colour photographs of Boothroyd addressing the United Nations, 2000 (20 x 15cm); and 17 further photographs largely depicting visits to China and Sri Lanka, c.1960-80s.

The archive containing approximately 4,345 photographs in total. An important photographic archive containing over 4,300 photographs documenting the wide-ranging official and personal travels of Betty Boothroyd, Baroness Boothroyd OM PC (1929-2023), Labour politician and first female speaker of the House of Commons (1992-2000).

Born in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire into a working-class family, Boothroyd was encouraged by her parents, who were both textile workers, to take an active interest in politics from a young age, joining the Labour League of Youth at 16. Winning a scholarship to Dewsbury technical college, she subsequently worked as a dancer between 1946 and 1952, famously becoming a member of the Tiller Girls dancing troupe, with whom she briefly appeared at the London Palladium. Following her dance career, Boothroyd entered politics, joining the research department at the Labour party's headquarters, and subsequently working as secretary to the Labour MPs Barbara Castle and Geoffrey de Freitas. After a couple of years in the USA (1960-62), where she observed the Kennedy campaign, she was elected to a seat on Hammersmith Borough Council in 1965. After contesting several parliamentary seats for Labour, she was later elected as an MP for West Bromwich in a by-election in 1973, a seat which she would represent for twenty-seven years. Following the 1987 general election Boothroyd became a Deputy Speaker, making her the second female Deputy Speaker in British history, and in 1992 was elected Speaker, overturning more than 700 years of parliamentary tradition. Upon entering the Commons in her new role, she was asked how she would like to be addressed as Speaker, to which she famously replied: "Call me Madam".

A well-liked figure both within Parliament and amongst the public, she became one of the best-known speakers in British political history, "ruling the Commons with good humour and considerable charm." "When members spoke for too long she had a habit of clumsily stifling a yawn as a signal of her displeasure and at the end of prime minister's questions she inadvertently introduced what would become her catchphrase by declaring after one of her first sessions in the chair: "Time's up!"" (Obituary, The Guardian).

Boothroyd resigned the speakership in 2000, taking up her seat as a crossbench peer the following year, with prime minister Tony Blair paying tribute to her as "something of a national institution". Honours and honorary degrees were heaped upon her, by universities including Oxford, Cambridge, London and St Andrews, but her personal interests centred on her role as chancellor of the Open University, a post she was invited to accept because of her support for the universal right to adult education. During this period, she also enthusiastically and successfully campaigned for a memorial to be erected in Whitehall to commemorate the role of the women of Britain in the Second World War (with photographs of her attending its unveiling in the present archive). In April 2005, she was appointed to the Order of Merit (OM), an honour in the personal gift of the Queen.

The present archive forms fascinating insight into the life of a truly remarkable figure in modern British political history. A pioneering woman who dedicated her life to the Labour Party and to British democracy, and who went from the daughter of mill workers to Tiller Girl to leading Parliamentarian and Speaker of the House of Commons.

Predominantly charting her most politically important years (c.1980-2005), the present archive documents Boothroyd's travels all around the globe - from Australia to Zanzibar - with the albums wonderfully blending stately, official images and occasions with Boothroyd's own personal adventures and behind-the-scenes diversions. It also extensively records her activities in and around Parliament and Great Britain, as well as her home-life. Notably, the archive includes numerous photographs of Boothroyd with Queen Elizabeth II, as well as figures including Margaret Thatcher, Tony Blair, Nelson Mandela, and Bill Clinton, some unusual earlier images with Zhou Enlai and Ho Chi Minh, and a whole host of other domestic and global politicians, presidents, prime ministers, and speakers from parliaments around the world.

As her obituary in The Guardian observed: "She was a successful and popular speaker who acquired international fame for her brisk, good-humoured style and for the warmth and wit she exuded, along with a whiff of glamour." This international esteem, joie de vivre, and notable touch of glamour are reflected in the present archive in abundance.