View source for Rosemary Portal, 2nd Baroness Portal of Hungerford

{{short description|British peeress and politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix   = [[The Right Honourable]]
| name               = The Baroness Portal of Hungerford
| honorific-suffix   =
| image              =
| image_size         =
| alt                =
| office1            = [[Member of the House of Lords]]<br />
| term_start1     = 26 April 1972
| term_end1       = [[Hereditary peerage|Hereditary Peerage]]
| birth_name      = Rosemary Ann Portal
| birth_date      =  12 May 1923
| birth_place     = [[Grantham, Lincolnshire]], England
| death_date      =   {{Death date and age|1990|9|29|1923|5|12|df=y}}
| death_place     =  [[West Sussex]], England
| resting_place   = St Mary's Churchyard, [[Funtington]]
| party           =
| mother          =  Joan Margaret Welby
| father          =  [[Charles Portal, 1st Viscount Portal of Hungerford]]
| relatives       =
| residence       =
| alma_mater      =
<!--Military service-->
| nickname        =
| allegiance      ={{flag|United Kingdom}}
| branch          = {{air force|United Kingdom}}
| serviceyears    =
| rank            =
| unit            = [[Women's Auxiliary Air Force]]
| commands        =
| battles         = [[World War II]]
| mawards         =
}}
'''Rosemary Ann Portal, 2nd Baroness Portal of Hungerford''' (12 May 1923 – 29 September 1990) was a British politician and [[hereditary peer]]ess. In 1971, she inherited the [[Baron Portal of Hungerford|Portal barony of Hungerford]] from her father. She sat as a [[crossbencher]] in the [[House of Lords]] from 1972 to 1990.
== Early life and family ==
Lady Portal of Hungerford was born on 12 May 1923 in [[Grantham, Lincolnshire]] to [[Charles Portal, 1st Viscount Portal of Hungerford|Charles Frederick Algernon Portal]] and Joan Margaret Welby Portal. Her father's family were members of the [[landed gentry]] and were of [[Huguenot]] descent.<ref name= oxford>{{Cite ODNB|url=https://www.oxforddnb.com/display/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-31561 |title=Portal, Charles Frederick Algernon, Viscount Portal of Hungerford (1893–1971), air force officer|date=2004 |doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/31561 }}</ref> Her paternal grandfather, Edward Robert Portal, was a country gentleman and former barrister.<ref name= oxford/> Her paternal grandmother, Ellinor Kate Hill Portal, was the daughter of Captain [[Charles West Hill]], who served as Governor of [[Winchester Prison]].<ref name= oxford/> Lady Portal of Hungerford was the niece of Admiral [[Reginald Portal|Sir Reginald Portal]] and a distant relative of [[Wyndham Portal, 1st Viscount Portal]] and [[Abraham Portal]].<ref name= oxford/>
In 1945, her father was created [[Baron Portal of Hungerford]] by [[George VI]] upon his retirement as [[Chief of the Air Staff (United Kingdom)|Chief of the Air Staff]], entitling her to the style ''[[The Honourable]]'' as the daughter of a [[Peerage of the United Kingdom|peer]].<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=37305 |date=12 October 1945 |page=5026}}</ref> In 1946, her father was created [[Viscount Portal of Hungerford]] by George VI.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=37461 |date=8 February 1946 |page=864}}</ref>
== Adult life ==
In the 1940s, she served as an officer in the [[Women's Auxiliary Air Force]] during [[World War II]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ebay.it/itm/166206492628|title=Hon Rosemary Ann Portal WAAF Officer 1946 Bertram Park Photo Article|website=eBay}}</ref>
Following the death of her father on 22 April 1971, she inherited the Portan barony of Hungerford according to a special remainder, while her father's viscounty became extinct as it was only intended for male heirs to inherit.<ref name= oxford/> Upon the inheritance of the barony, she became styled [[The Right Honourable]] The Lady Portal of Hungerford.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.artwarefineart.com/gallery/marshal-royal-air-force-charles-portal-1st-viscount-portal-hungerford-kg-gcb-om-dso-bar-mc|title=Marshal of the Royal Air Force, Charles Portal, 1st Viscount Portal of Hungerford , KG, GCB, OM, DSO, & Bar, MC 1893- 1971 &#124; Artware Fine Art|website=www.artwarefineart.com}}</ref>
On 26 April 1972, she was formally introduced, pursuant to Standing Order No.4 and under the [[Peerage Act 1963]], into the [[House of Lords]] between the [[Evelyn Emmet, Baroness Emmet of Amberley|Baroness Emmet of Amberley]] and the [[Robert Platt, Baron Platt|Lord Platt]].<ref name= hansard>{{Cite web|url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/Lords/1972-04-26/debates/5c607fcd-6de1-4752-b132-929b93041466/BaronessPortalOfHungerFord|title=Baroness Portal Of Hunger Ford - Hansard - UK Parliament}}</ref>
She died on 29 September 1990 in [[West Sussex]], at which point the barony became extinct. She was cremated, and her remains were placed in
St Mary Churchyard in [[Funtington]].{{citation needed|date= December 2023}}
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Portal of Hungerford, Rosemary Portal, 2nd Baroness}}
[[Category:1923 births]]
[[Category:1990 deaths]]
[[Category:British baronesses]]
[[Category:Crossbench hereditary peers]]
[[Category:Daughters of viscounts]]
[[Category:Hereditary women peers]]
[[Category:People from Grantham]]
[[Category:Portal family|Rosemary]]
[[Category:Women's Auxiliary Air Force officers]]
[[Category:Female hereditary members of the House of Lords]]