Paige Woodbury

The Fredonia Shake-speare Club met for its ninth regular meeting of the 2016-2017 year at the home of Mary Croxton. President Judi Lutz Woods presided with 11 members present. Woods welcomed the club members to the 131st year of the club.

The topic for the year is “Women Artists, Authors, Designers & Entrepreneurs.” Paige Woodbury presented her paper on “Margaret Thatcher, Iron Lady.”

Her paper is summarized as follows:

Margaret Thatcher,     the Iron Lady

Margaret Roberts Thatcher was one of the giants of the 20th century. She received a scholarship to Oxford and while there showed an interest in politics. She was a conservative like her father. While at Oxford, she became active in the Oxford University Conservative Association and became treasurer and then president of this group. By the time she left Oxford, she wanted to be a member of Parliament and also prime minister of England.

Alfred Bossom, a wealthy Londoner, saw Thatcher’s potential and supported her efforts financially. She first campaigned for the House of Commons and she won just before her 35th birthday.

In 1979, Thatcher became prime minister of England. Her agenda: public expenditures would be cut, income taxes would be reduced by the budget in one month’s time, trade union powers would be curbed and state holdings in industry would be sold. The government would restore the balance between the individual and the state.

On the home front, Thatcher became committed to privatization.

She also passed a ‘Right to Buy’ which led to 370,000 families living in government housing to buy their homes.

Her finest accomplishments were overseas. President Ronald Reagan and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher achieved very important international results. She was also able to build a relationship with Russia’s Gorbachev.

Croxton called the group to tea, where Woods assisted at the tea table.

The next meeting of the club will be held on Thursday, Jan. 5, hosted by Priscilla Bernatz, where Joan Larson will present a paper on “Anna Pavlova, Russian Ballerina.”