Lady Polson dies

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32797, 23 December 1971, Page 14

Lady Polson dies

Lady Polson, widow of Sir William Polson, Leader of the last Legislative Council and herself a former member of Parliament, died in Christchurch yesterday. She was 74. Lady Polson was the first woman member of the National Party to be elected to Parliament. Her first husband, Mr A. N. Grigg, was elected M.P. for Mid-Canter-bury in 1938. He was killed on active service in North Africa and his widow was elected unopposed at a byelection in 1942. In 1943 Mrs Grigg married Sir William Polson who was member of Parliament for Stratford from 1928 to 1946 and served in the War Administration in 1942. Lady Polson did -not stand again after the 1943 election. ; Lady Polson was a great granddaughter of Sir Cracrofti Wilson and lived in Cashmere House the original family home built in the late 1850 s. After her marriage to Mr Grigg, Lady Polson lived at Surrey Hills. She was the first woman member of the Ashburton Hospital Board and was the president of the Mount Somers Plunket Society. Lady Polson had a long as-

sociation with the Girl Guides movement and was a former Dominion councillor of the Girl Guides Association. Several years ago she was president of the Victoria League in Canterbury. During the Second World War Lady Polson played a leading part in the organisation of the Women’s Land Army Service. She was awarded an M.B.E.