Vera Houghton

Vera Houghton
Born (1914-10-18)18 October 1914
London, England, UK
Died 30 November 2013(2013-11-30) (aged 99)
UK
Occupation British women's health campaigner

Vera Houghton, Baroness Houghton of Sowerby CBE (18 October 1914 - 30 November 2013) was a British women's health campaigner, chair of the Abortion Law Reform Association and founder of the Birth Control Trust.

Early life

She was born Vera Travis in London on 18 October 1914[1] and educated at Haberdashers' Aske's School for Girls, Acton.[1]

Career

Through her work with the Abortion Law Reform Association, she helped steer the Abortion Act 1967.[2] Following this, she continued to campaign for women's reproductive rights by founding the Birth Control Trust, which pushed for universally free contraceptives. She also became active in the Family Planning Association, becoming its chair in 1973, with birth control becoming free available on the NHS in 1974.[2] She also became executive secretary of the International Planned Parenthood Federationfrom 1953 to 1959.[2] In 1986, she was awarded a CBE.[3]

Personal life

In 1939, she married Douglas Houghton, the founder and general secretary of the Association of Officers for Taxes, where she had worked since 1934.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Hayman, Suzie. "Vera Houghton obituary". The Guardian. Guardian News and Media Limited. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 Hall, Lesley (8 January 2014). "'Lobbied, charmed and persuaded'". Wellcome Library. Retrieved 5 August 2016.
  3. ↑ Cossey, Dilys (April 2014). "Obituary Vera Houghton" (PDF). J Fam Plann Reprod Health Care. 40 (2). doi:10.1136/jfprhc-2014-100905.


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