# Alfred Roberts

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English alderman and mayor (1892–1970)

This article is about Margaret Thatcher's father. For other people with the same name, see [Alfred Roberts (disambiguation)](/source/Alfred_Roberts_(disambiguation)).

Alfred Roberts JP Municipal posts 1943–1952 Alderman of Grantham 1945–1946 Mayor of Grantham Personal details Born (1892-04-18)18 April 1892 Ringstead, Northamptonshire, England Died 10 February 1970(1970-02-10) (aged 77) Grantham, Lincolnshire, England Party Independent Spouses Beatrice Stephenson ​ ​ (m. 1917; died 1960)​ Cecily Hubbard ​ (m. 1965)​ Children 2, including Margaret Thatcher Relatives Mark Thatcher (grandson) Carol Thatcher (granddaughter) Occupation Greengrocer local politician Methodist local preacher

**Alfred Roberts** [JP](/source/Justice_of_the_Peace#United_Kingdom) (18 April 1892 – 10 February 1970) was an English grocer, [preacher](/source/Methodist_local_preacher) and [local politician](/source/Local_government_in_England). He served [Grantham](/source/Grantham) as [alderman](/source/Alderman) from 1943 to 1952 and mayor from 1945 to 1946. His second daughter, [Margaret](/source/Margaret_Thatcher), was the first female [prime minister of the United Kingdom](/source/Prime_minister_of_the_United_Kingdom).

## Early life

Roberts was born in [Ringstead](/source/Ringstead%2C_Northamptonshire), a village in [Northamptonshire](/source/Northamptonshire), the fifth of seven children. His father was Benjamin Ebenezer Roberts (28 December 1857 – 17 September 1925), from a Ringstead family, and his mother was Ellen Smith (20 November 1857 – 1 May 1935), whose own mother, Catherine Sullivan, was born at [Kenmare](/source/Kenmare) in [Ireland](/source/History_of_Ireland_(1801%E2%80%931923)).[1] At the [1871 census](/source/1871_United_Kingdom_census), Benjamin Roberts was a shoemaker's apprentice in Ringstead.[2] At the [1921 census](/source/1921_United_Kingdom_census), he was an out-of-work shoemaker.[3]

Roberts initially wanted to become a schoolteacher, but he left school at thirteen to help support his family. He is listed in the [1911 census](/source/1911_United_Kingdom_census) as a boarder in [Oundle, Northamptonshire](/source/Oundle%2C_Northamptonshire), working as a grocer's assistant. He later moved to [Grantham](/source/Grantham) in Lincolnshire, where he was [apprenticed](/source/Apprenticeship) to a [greengrocer](/source/Grocery_store). When the [First World War](/source/World_War_I) broke out in 1914, Roberts, "a deeply patriotic man", tried six times to enlist in the [British Army](/source/British_Army_during_World_War_I), but was rejected because of weak eyesight.[4]: 4

Four years after moving to Grantham, Roberts met Beatrice Ethel Stephenson (1888–1960) through the [Finkin Street Methodist Church](/source/Finkin_Street_Methodist_Church), which he attended every Sunday.[5]: 4[6]: 104 They married in Grantham on 28 May 1917. Their two daughters were also born in Grantham: Muriel Cullen (24 May 1921 – 3 December 2004) and [Margaret Thatcher](/source/Margaret_Thatcher).[6]: 9[7] In 1919, they bought the grocery shop, and in 1923, Roberts opened a second shop.

## Politics

Roberts was a lay preacher at the [Finkin Street Wesleyan Chapel](/source/Finkin_Street_Wesleyan_Chapel) (*pictured* in 2006)

Roberts was an "[old-fashioned liberal](/source/Classical_liberalism)"[4]: 21 who believed strongly in individual responsibility and sound finance. He had read and admired [Stuart Mill](/source/Stuart_Mill)'s *[On Liberty](/source/On_Liberty)*. He came from a family that traditionally voted [Liberal](/source/Liberal_Party_(UK)). Still, he believed that the Liberals had embraced [collectivism](/source/Collectivism) and that the [Conservatives](/source/Conservative_Party_(UK)) stood for the old liberalism.[4]: 65 His daughter Muriel recalled that Roberts "was always a Liberal at heart".[5]: 11 In the [1935 general election](/source/1935_United_Kingdom_general_election), Roberts helped the local Conservative candidate [Victor Warrender](/source/Victor_Warrender) to win the [Grantham constituency](/source/Grantham_(UK_Parliament_constituency)).

In 1927, Roberts was elected to the Grantham [urban district council](/source/Urban_district_(England_and_Wales)) as an [independent](/source/Independent_politician). He was also a part-time [Justice of the Peace](/source/Justice_of_the_Peace),[8] president of the [Chamber of Trade](/source/Chamber_of_Commerce), [President of Rotary](/source/Rotary_International), director of the Grantham Building Society and the [Trustee Savings Bank](/source/Trustee_Savings_Bank), chairman of the local [National Savings Movement](/source/National_Savings_Movement), a governor of the local boys' and girls' grammar schools and chairman of the [Workers' Educational Association](/source/Workers'_Educational_Association). During the [Second World War](/source/Second_World_War), he was Chief Welfare Officer, directing [civil defence](/source/Civil_defence).[5]: 12 He soon became Chairman of the Finance and Rating Committee and, in 1943, was elected by the council as [Alderman](/source/Alderman); he served as Mayor of Grantham from November 1945 to 1946, in which he presided over the town's victory celebrations. In his inaugural speech, Roberts called for an extensive programme of expenditure to rebuild the roads, public transport, health and social services for children and to "build houses by the thousand".[9]: 10

External image Photo of Roberts laying down his robes as Alderman (voted out by Labour) "The picture was published in the paper on 23 May 1952 when Alderman Roberts was voted off the council by the new Labour majority. The event caused great distress to the Roberts family."[10]

On 21 May 1952, Roberts was voted out as alderman by the first [Labour](/source/Labour_Party_(UK)) majority on the council, and after the vote was taken, he proclaimed: "It is now almost nine years since I took up these robes in honour, and now I trust in honour they are laid down."[4]: 21 When his daughter Margaret recalled this event, over thirty years later as prime minister during an interview with [Miriam Stoppard](/source/Miriam_Stoppard), she said that it was "very emotional" and wept on television.[9]: 308

## Personal life

Roberts retired and sold his business in 1958 but continued after that to preach and remained active in the [Rotary Club](/source/Rotary_Club). Beatrice died in 1960, aged 72.[11]

On 26 November 1965, Roberts married again; his second wife was Cissie Miriam Hubbard[12] ([née](/source/Birth_name#Maiden_and_married_names) Freeston)[13] born in 1896 in [Lincolnshire](/source/Lincolnshire).[14]

In 1997, the satirical magazine *[Punch](/source/Punch_(magazine))* published an article by Professor [Bernard Crick](/source/Bernard_Crick) featuring allegations, including one from an alleged victim, that Roberts had been involved in several sexual assaults on women.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] Crick had tried to put the allegations into the public domain before both the [1987](/source/1987_United_Kingdom_general_election) and [1997](/source/1997_United_Kingdom_general_election) elections but had been rebuffed by various publications. The article claimed that Roberts was an inspiration for a [lecherous character](/source/Lascivious_behavior) who was a local councillor and grocer in the 1937 satire of Grantham, *[Rotten Borough](/source/Rotten_Borough_(novel))*.[15] [John Campbell](/source/John_Campbell_(biographer)), the biographer of his daughter Margaret Thatcher, believes that these allegations were unsubstantiated and dismissed by people who knew him, and that the character in *Rotten Borough* was a parody of another prominent councillor at the time.[5][*[page needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citing_sources)*]

Roberts died at 19, North Parade, Grantham, on 10 February 1970, leaving an estate valued for probate at £8,320,[16] equivalent to £114,115 in 2025.

## In popular culture

Roberts appears as a character in the 2008 [BBC Four](/source/BBC_Four) television drama, *[The Long Walk to Finchley](/source/The_Long_Walk_to_Finchley)*, which depicts Margaret Thatcher's early political career. He is played by [Philip Jackson](/source/Philip_Jackson_(actor)).[17]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Davies_1-0)** Davies, Edward J. (2007). ["The Ancestry of Baroness Thatcher"](http://slha.org.uk/downloads/publications.php?filename=LHA42-Lady-Thatcher.pdf) (PDF). *[Lincolnshire History and Archaeology](/source/Lincolnshire_History_and_Archaeology)*. **42**: 40–42.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Benjamin Roberts"](https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/7619/records/14459645?tid=&pid=&queryId=3a67405a-73cb-43dd-862a-ef0924b04e61&_phsrc=yiF4) in the 1871 England Census, Ringstead, Northamptonshire, Ancestry.com, accessed 31 March 2026 (subscription required)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Benjamin Roberts"](https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/63150/records/12083288?tid=&pid=&queryId=cee09bcd-2770-4d2f-986a-196622fd6529&_phsrc=yiF2) in the [1921 United Kingdom census](/source/1921_United_Kingdom_census), Carlow Street, Kingstead, Thrapston, Ancestry.com, accessed 31 March 2026 (subscription required)

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Thatcher_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Thatcher_4-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Thatcher_4-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Thatcher_4-3) Thatcher, Margaret (1995). [*The Path to Power*](https://archive.org/details/pathtopower00that). HarperCollins. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-00-638753-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-00-638753-4).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Campbell_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Campbell_5-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Campbell_5-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Campbell_5-3) [Campbell, John](/source/John_Campbell_(biographer)) (2000). *Margaret Thatcher: The Grocer's Daughter*. Vol. 1. Pimlico. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-7126-7418-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-7126-7418-8).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Aitken_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Aitken_6-1) [Aitken, Jonathan](/source/Jonathan_Aitken) (2013). [*Margaret Thatcher: Power and Personality*](https://archive.org/details/margaretthatcher0000aitk_v0y0). London; New York: Bloomsbury. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-62040-342-6](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-62040-342-6).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Davies, David Twiston and Sally Pook (4 December 2004). ["Thatcher's sister and 'best friend' dies"](https://web.archive.org/web/20180703203748/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1478205/Thatchers-sister-and-best-friend-dies.html). *The Telegraph*. Archived from [the original](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1478205/Thatchers-sister-and-best-friend-dies.html) on 3 July 2018. Retrieved 20 May 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Opfell, Olga S. (1993). *Women Prime Ministers and Presidents*. McFarland & Company. p. 70. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-89950-790-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-89950-790-3).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Young_9-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Young_9-1) [Young, Hugo](/source/Hugo_Young) (1990). [*One of Us*](https://archive.org/details/oneofusbiography00youn_0). Pan. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-330-31487-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-330-31487-9).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** Dean, Peter (21 May 1952). ["Photo of Alfred Roberts laying down his robes as Alderman (voted out by Labour)"](http://www.margaretthatcher.org/archive/displaydocument.asp?docid=109928). *Grantham Journal*. Retrieved 27 May 2017 – via the Margaret Thatcher Foundation.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["ROBERTS Beatrice E, 72"](https://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?cite=SD%2BNAG9AbsKZlw07S3Avew&scan=1). *FreeBMD*. ONS. Retrieved 31 March 2026.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** "Alfred Roberts" in *England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916—2005*: Name Alfred Roberts / Registration Quarter Oct-Nov-Dec 1965 / Registration District Grantham / Spouse Cissie M Hubbard / Volume 3b / Page 240

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["Freeston Cissie M, Hubbard George"](https://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?cite=WQQOWjuuuA%2FWCB081u1%2FNA&scan=1). *[FreeBMD](/source/FreeBMD)*. ONS. Retrieved 30 March 2026.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["FREESTON, Cissie Miriam"](https://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?cite=RZP%2FUwQ2miFu5xRfhC5Dpw&scan=1). *FreeBMD*. ONS. Retrieved 30 March 2026.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** Nuthall, Keith (22 June 1997). ["Thatcher's dad: mayor, preacher, groper"](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/thatchers-dad-mayor-preacher-groper-1257249.html). *The Independent*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20090818004259/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/thatchers-dad-mayor-preacher-groper-1257249.html) from the original on 18 August 2009. Retrieved 14 April 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** "ROBERTS Alfred of 19 North Parade Grantham Lincs died 10 February 1970", in *Wills and Administrations England & Wales 1970* (London: High Court of Justice, 1971), p. 192

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** ["BBC Four – Margaret Thatcher: The Long Walk to Finchley"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00c188n). BBC. Retrieved 5 November 2025.

v t e Margaret Thatcher Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1979–1990) Leader of the Conservative Party (1975–1990) MP for Finchley (1959–1992) Member of Parliament Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act (1960) Circular 10/70 (1970) Shadow cabinet "Britain Awake" (1976) Vote of no confidence in the Callaghan ministry (1979) Ideology Thatcherism Conservatism Free market Union democracy Premiership Ministers Wets and dries Cold War 1st term 2nd–3rd term 1st ministry (1979–1983) Budget (1979) Budget (1980) "The lady's not for turning" (1980) Budget (1981) Gang of 25 Irish hunger strike (1981) Budget (1982) Falklands War (1982) "Rejoice" Sinking of the ARA General Belgrano Diana Gould exchange "White flags over Port Stanley" Budget (1983) 2nd ministry (1983–1987) Budget (1984) Brighton hotel bombing (1984) GCHQ trade union ban (1984) CCSU case Miners' strike (1984–85) Budget (1985) Anglo-Irish Agreement (1985) Local Government Act (1985) Rate-capping rebellion Westland affair (1986) Budget (1986) Budget (1987) 3rd ministry (1987–1990) Budget (1988) Broadcasting restrictions (1988) "Sermon on the Mound" (1988) Bruges speech (1988) Budget (1989) Ambulance strike (1989–90) Community Charge (1989–90) Poll tax riots Budget (1990) Gulf War (1990) "No. No. No." (1990) Geoffrey Howe's resignation speech (1990) Resignation Honours (1990) Party elections 1975 1989 1990 General elections 1979 1983 1987 Books The Downing Street Years (1993 autobiography) The Path to Power (1995 memoir) Statecraft: Strategies for a Changing World (2003) Family Denis Thatcher (husband) Thatcher baronets Mark Thatcher (son) Carol Thatcher (daughter) Alfred Roberts (father) "We have become a grandmother" (1989) Cultural depictions Film and television Anyone for Denis? (1982 TV play) Spitting Image (1984–1996 TV series) The New Statesman (1987–1991 TV series) Thatcher: The Final Days (1991 film) The Falklands Play (2002 play) Jeffrey Archer: The Truth (2002 TV film) The Alan Clark Diaries (2004 TV series) Pinochet in Suburbia (2006 docudrama) The Long Walk to Finchley (2008 film) Margaret (2009 film) The Queen (2009 TV serial) The Iron Lady (2011 film) The Hunt for Tony Blair (2011 episode) In Search of La Che (2011 film) The Crown (2020 TV series) Reagan (2024 film) Plays Handbagged (2010) The Audience (2013) Statues London Guildhall (1998) Palace of Westminster (2007) Grantham (2022) Paintings Richard Stone portrait (2009) Related Blatcherism Death and funeral Honours Thatchergate ← James Callaghan John Major → Category

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Alfred Roberts](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Roberts) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Roberts?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.