Press release: Margaret Thatcher Centre to be Sited at University Of Buckingham

3 November 2015

3 November 2015

The University of Buckingham, which had long and close ties with Lady Thatcher, is to house a library and museum devoted to the life and ideals of Britain’s only woman prime minister.

Donal Blaney, the head of the Margaret Thatcher Centre, made the announcement at a dinner in The Guildhall, London, last week and said he was “very excited” for the centre to be in its “natural location.”

Margaret Thatcher was Chancellor at the University in the 90s.

After discussion between the University and trustees of the Margaret Thatcher Centre, both sides are working together towards the siting of the centre, together with its domestic and international programme, at The University of Buckingham, where Lady Thatcher was chancellor from 1992 – 1998.

Buckingham was established as an independent, not-for-profit university college in 1973, when Lady Thatcher was education secretary. She also played a significant role, while serving as prime minister, in its elevation to the status of the UK’s first private university in 1983.

Like the centres devoted to American presidents, the Margaret Thatcher Centre will incorporate a library, museum and resources for both education and research.

Vice-Chancellor of The University of Buckingham, Sir Anthony Seldon, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be honouring Lady Thatcher in this way. She was an effective Chancellor and the new centre is likely to be a huge attraction both for those who knew her and those who didn’t.”

It is planned that it will be up and running by 2019, the 30th anniversary of Lady Thatcher reaching a decade as prime minister and the 60th anniversary of her becoming an MP.