Peggy Herbison

There's an interesting display in the Houses of Parliament at the moment (in the Peers' Gallery) of selected papers of Margaret "Peggy" Herbison, who was an under-secretary at the Scottish Office from 1950-51.

It seems someone who currently works in Parliament discovered the papers in an old desk back in December 2005, including copies of letters to constituents, political pamphlets and a desk diary from 1947.

Herbison was the first female minister at the Scottish Office, followed by Lady Tweedsmuir in the early 1960s, and Judith Hart under Harold Wilson a few years later. Peggy, as she was known, was responsible for education under Hector McNeil, the Scottish Secretary, and modernised many old Victorian buildings.

Herbison's cousin, Karen Whitefield, currently sits in the Scottish Parliament for roughly the same Lanarkshire seat once represented by her relative.