Life and times of Margaret Thatcher
Oct 13, 1925: Margaret Hilda Roberts, born in Grantham, Lincs.
1943: Goes to Somerville College, Oxford, to read chemistry.
June 1947: Graduates from Oxford.
Jan 31, 1949: Selected as the Tory candidate for Dartford, the youngest woman candidate in the country, but is defeated in 1950 and 1951 elections.
Dec 13, 1951: Marries wealthy oil executive Denis Thatcher.
Aug 15, 1953: Gives birth to twins, Mark and Carol.
Dec 1, 1953: Qualifies as a barrister
Oct 8, 1959: Elected as Finchley MP.
June 20, 1970: Becomes the Education Secretary.
Sept 1971: Dubbed “Maggie Thatcher Milk Snatcher” after proposals to end free school milk.
Feb 11, 1975: Elected Leader of the Conservative Party.
Jan 24, 1976: A Soviet newspaper nicknames her the Iron Lady.
May 4, 1979: Becomes the UK’s first female prime minister beating Labour’s Jim Callaghan by a 44 seat majority.
Oct 10, 1980: Gives “The lady’s not for turning” speech at Tory conference.
April 2, 1982: Argentina invades the Falkland Islands. Task force leaves Portsmouth three days later.
June 14, 1982: Argentine surrender.
June 9, 1983: Wins second term beating Michael Foot’s Labour.
Oct 12, 1984: Survives IRA bombing of Grand Hotel, Brighton.
Nov 15, 1985: Anglo-Irish Agreement signed by Thatcher and Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald.
Jan 9, 1986: Defence Secretary Michael Heseltine resigns in row over Westland helicopter company.
June 11, 1987: Thatcher wins record third term in office with reduced majority of 102, beating Labour under Neil Kinnock.
Jan 3, 1988: Becomes longest-serving British PM of the 20th century.
Nov 14, 1990: Michael Heseltine challenges her for Tory leadership
Nov 27, 1990: Thatcher steps down and John Major becomes leader.
Nov 28, 1990: Tearful Thatcher leaves 10 Downing Street for the last time as prime minister and is succeeded by John Major.
June 26, 1992: She becomes Baroness Thatcher of Kesteven.
March 22, 2002: Ends public speaking after a series of strokes.
June 26, 2003: Husband Denis dies.
Feb 2007: Becomes first living prime minister to be honoured with a statue in Commons lobby. She unveils it.
April 8, 2013: Dies of stroke.
1943: Goes to Somerville College, Oxford, to read chemistry.
June 1947: Graduates from Oxford.
Jan 31, 1949: Selected as the Tory candidate for Dartford, the youngest woman candidate in the country, but is defeated in 1950 and 1951 elections.
Dec 13, 1951: Marries wealthy oil executive Denis Thatcher.
Aug 15, 1953: Gives birth to twins, Mark and Carol.
Dec 1, 1953: Qualifies as a barrister
Oct 8, 1959: Elected as Finchley MP.
June 20, 1970: Becomes the Education Secretary.
Sept 1971: Dubbed “Maggie Thatcher Milk Snatcher” after proposals to end free school milk.
Feb 11, 1975: Elected Leader of the Conservative Party.
Jan 24, 1976: A Soviet newspaper nicknames her the Iron Lady.
May 4, 1979: Becomes the UK’s first female prime minister beating Labour’s Jim Callaghan by a 44 seat majority.
Oct 10, 1980: Gives “The lady’s not for turning” speech at Tory conference.
April 2, 1982: Argentina invades the Falkland Islands. Task force leaves Portsmouth three days later.
June 14, 1982: Argentine surrender.
June 9, 1983: Wins second term beating Michael Foot’s Labour.
Oct 12, 1984: Survives IRA bombing of Grand Hotel, Brighton.
Nov 15, 1985: Anglo-Irish Agreement signed by Thatcher and Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald.
Jan 9, 1986: Defence Secretary Michael Heseltine resigns in row over Westland helicopter company.
June 11, 1987: Thatcher wins record third term in office with reduced majority of 102, beating Labour under Neil Kinnock.
Jan 3, 1988: Becomes longest-serving British PM of the 20th century.
Nov 14, 1990: Michael Heseltine challenges her for Tory leadership
Nov 27, 1990: Thatcher steps down and John Major becomes leader.
Nov 28, 1990: Tearful Thatcher leaves 10 Downing Street for the last time as prime minister and is succeeded by John Major.
June 26, 1992: She becomes Baroness Thatcher of Kesteven.
March 22, 2002: Ends public speaking after a series of strokes.
June 26, 2003: Husband Denis dies.
Feb 2007: Becomes first living prime minister to be honoured with a statue in Commons lobby. She unveils it.
April 8, 2013: Dies of stroke.
