February 11 1975 – Margaret Thatcher became first woman to head a majority party in Britain

Born as a grocer’s daughter in 1925, Margaret Thatcher had values of hard work and public service. Her father Alfred Roberts had an immense influence on her. It was during the World War Two that Margaret was inspired by Winston Churchill’s defiant speeches and his refusal to give in to Nazism. The uncompromising attitude of Churchill put a deep impact on Margaret’s personality. Margaret Thatcher went to the University of Oxford to study Chemistry and was elected president of the student’s Conservative Association. After graduating in the year 1947, Margaret moved ahead to begin a career as a scientist at BX Plastics but couldn’t resist pursuing her interest in politics. Therefore, she joined the Young Conservatives. As a headstrong, obstinate and self-opinionated woman, Margaret became the youngest female Conservative candidate. As United Kingdom’s first and so far the only female Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher served from 1979 until 1990. Nicknamed as the “Iron Lady”, Margaret reduced the influence of trade unions, scaled back public benefits, privatized certain industries and altered the terms of political debate. Additionally, she also opposed Soviet communism and ensured to maintain control of the Falkland Islands. You may also like : February 11 1889 – The Meiji Constitution is Adopted, Leading to the Westernization of Japan February 11 1990 – Nelson Mandela is released from Victor Verster Prison near Cape Town, South Africa after 27 years behind bars