Claire Brooks OBE

4.53.00pm GMT Sun 16th Mar 2008

Claire Graham was born in 1931 at The Folly in Settle. Her father Arthur was from a long line of staunch Liberals.

She was a pupil at Skipton Girl's High School and studied law at University College, London.

She married American Herbert Brooks and lived for a short while in the USA. She later divorced and returned to the UK.

Back home, she set up her legal practice, plunged into politics and went on to spend 23 years on Craven District Council.

She was awarded an OBE for her devoted service to political and public life.

She fought six parliamentary elections and, in 1974, came within 590 votes of ousting the Tories.

At one Liberal assembly in Scarborough in the mid 1970s, when Mrs Brooks heard women waiters were getting less pay than their male counterparts she led a sit down strike in the middle of the hall.

Mrs Brooks became a Craven District Councillor representing Skipton in 1976. She was group leader, chairman of the Council and Mayor of Skipton, throughout it all running a solicitor's practice in the town.

In addition to her politics, Mrs Brooks was passionate about her Scottish family roots and was a founder member of the Clan Graham. The Chairman of the clan association will be attending her funeral.

The funeral will take place at 2pm at Settle Parish Church on Monday 17 March 2008.