A British crossbench member of the House of Lords, disability campaigner and Paralympic athlete, Susan Cunliffe-Lister, Baroness Masham of Ilton, passed away on Sunday 12th March.
Disabled as a result of a riding accident in 1958, she became a most ardent supporter of disability sport; in February 1976, she was the subject of the prime time BBC television show “This Is Your Life”, hosted by Eamonn Andrews.
Under her maiden name, Susan Masham, she represented Great Britain in the table tennis events at the first three Paralympic Games.
In the inaugural event in 1960 in Rome, present in class B, alongside her partner, Froggart, she women’s doubles bronze.
Four years later in Tokyo, she secured women’s doubles gold in harness with Gwen Buck and women’s singles silver.
Once again, she was present at the 1968 Paralympic Games held in Tel Aviv.
Mexico, hosts for the Olympic Games, declined to stage the Paralympic Games. The offer made by the Israeli government was accepted; women’s doubles silver, again with Gwen Buck, was the outcome.
Additionally, in both Rome and Tokyo she competed in the swimming events, overall she won one gold and four silver medals.
Patron of the Yorkshire Table Tennis Association, her 53 years’ membership of the House of Lords is the longest of any female peer.