Cheryl Gillan
A steadfast Conservative MP who broke barriers as Wales's first female Secretary of State and fiercely defended her Buckinghamshire constituency.
1952–2021 (age 69)·British politician·Birthday: April 21·Baby Boomers
Biography
Cheryl Gillan's political career was one of quiet diligence and historic firsts. Elected as the MP for Chesham and Amersham in 1992, she cultivated a reputation as a dedicated constituency politician, known for her work on autism advocacy and economic policy. Her most prominent moment came in 2010 when Prime Minister David Cameron appointed her Secretary of State for Wales, making her the first woman to hold the position. Her tenure coincided with the fraught run-up to the 2011 referendum on Welsh devolution, which saw voters grant the Assembly direct law-making powers. Though she left the cabinet in 2012, Gillan remained a forceful voice in Parliament, notably leading backbench opposition to the HS2 high-speed rail line, which cut through her beloved Chilterns. For nearly three decades, she was a familiar, principled, and locally adored figure in Westminster, serving until her death.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Cheryl was born in 1952, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Cheryl Was Born
The biggest hits of 1952
#1 Movie
The Greatest Show on Earth
Best Picture
The Greatest Show on Earth
#1 TV Show
I Love Lucy
Cheryl's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1952Born
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1957Started school
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1965Became a teenager
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1968Could drive
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1970Could vote
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1973Turned 21
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1982Turned 30
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1992Turned 40
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2002Turned 50
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 60
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2021Died at 69
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
Key Achievements
- Served as the first female Secretary of State for Wales, overseeing the department during the 2011 referendum on Welsh devolution.
- Elected as the Member of Parliament for Chesham and Amersham, holding the seat for 29 years from 1992 until her death.
- Chaired the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Autism and was a vocal advocate for disability rights.
Did You Know?
She was a trained systems analyst and worked for companies like Kodak and Dixons before entering politics.
Gillan was a Deputy Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire, a ceremonial role representing the monarch in the county.
She was a keen motorcyclist in her youth.
“My duty is to serve my constituents and deliver on our manifesto.”
