Tribute paid to Caithness-born Lady Masham who has died at the age of 87
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Tribute has been paid to Caithness-born Lady Masham, who has died at the age of 87. She was the longest serving female member of the House of Lords, a passionate disability campaigner and a medal-winning Paralympian.
Her niece, Louise Scott, described her as "so positive" and someone who "didn't let her disability or anything else stand in her way."
Susan Sinclair was born in Caithness and spent her young life at Barrock House at Lyth with parents, Sir Ronald and Lady Sinclair and sister Georgina and brother, John.
During the Second World War the house was taken over and the family lived in the gardener's cottage. Susan, who had a great love of horses, Highland ponies and dogs, stayed in the far north until she went to boarding school but was regularly back in Caithness during the holidays.
Sadly, while taking part in a horse jumping event in her early 20s, she fell off her horse and suffered an injury to her spinal cord which left her disabled and in a wheelchair. She spent many months in hospital as a result.
At the time of the accident, she was engaged to be married to David Cunliffe-Lister, Lord Masham, who became Earl of Swinton in 1972. After her marriage, she became Lady Masham, and, later, Countess of Swinton.
In 1960, she took part in the Paralympian Games in Rome and won a gold medal in the 25metre breaststroke and in 1964 won another in the women's doubles table tennis in Tokyo. She won a further six silver medals and two bronze across both sports in the three games at which she competed.
She lost her Rome gold medal while visiting the Trevi Fountain in the Italian capital and was delighted when she was given a replacement one last year.
The Paralympics GB website described her as "one of Great Britain’s first ever Paralympic medallists" and "a pioneering athlete".
Lady Masham was created a life peer in 1970 and spent a total of 53 years in the House of Lords – more than any female peer in history – and sat as an independent crossbencher.
She spent much of her life campaigning for disability rights and in 1974 founded the Spinal Injuries Association, which was "devastated to have lost our greatest champion". She was also vice president of the Snowdon Trust – founded by the Earl of Snowdon – which provides grants and scholarships for students with disabilities.
In 1976, she was the subject of an episode of This Is Your Life.
Lady Masham died peacefully in hospital in Northallerton, Yorkshire, on Sunday.
Her niece, Louise Scott, who has lived at Barrock House with husband Adam and family for over 30 years, said her aunt was "always interested in what was going on in Caithness and always kept an interest in the place." She knew Lord Thurso and the Earl of Caithness well.
"She was born here, spent her childhood here and always felt close to this part of the world. She was so positive and if someone said you can't do this, she would find a way of doing it. She didn't let her disability or anything else stand in her way.
"I spoke to her last week in hospital and it was nice to have done that. We were expecting her home but, sadly, that was not to be be," said Louise.
Lady Masham and her husband, who died in 2006, adopted two children, Clare and Jessie. Lady Masham died on March 12, 2023. Her funeral takes place on Friday, March 24.
