Ishbel MacDonald

Ishbel MacDonald
Born
Ishbel Allan MacDonald

(1903-03-02)2 March 1903
Holborn, London, England
Died20 June 1982(1982-06-20) (aged 79)
Lossiemouth, Scotland
Resting placeHoly Trinity Church, Spynie, Morayshire, Scotland
Other names
  • Ishbel Ridgley
  • Ishbel Peterkin
EducationNorth London Collegiate School
Known forOfficial Hostess to Ramsay MacDonald
Political partyLabour
Spouses
Norman Ridgley
​
​
(m. 1938; died 1950)​
James Peterkin
​
​
(m. 1953; died 1956)​
Parents
RelativesMalcolm MacDonald (brother)
Sheila Lochhead (sister)

Ishbel Allan MacDonald (2 March 1903 – 20 June 1982)[1] was the daughter of Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Ramsay MacDonald[2] and his wife Margaret MacDonald née Gladstone. Margaret's death in 1911[3] – a year after their son David had died – left Ramsay a single father to his remaining five children. When, in 1924 he came to power as Prime Minister of the country's first Labour Government, it was Ishbel, as the eldest daughter, who her father decided should be his hostess at 10 Downing Street. At just 20 she became the youngest person ever to take on the role.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference NPG was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Time1929 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference BFI1924 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).