Twenty-four years and one day after Margaret Thatcher became British Prime Minister, Conrad Black shared anecdotes of her at a gathering in Winnipeg..Black, who was named to the British House of Lords in 2001, shared his recollections at an evening dinner organized by the Frontier Centre for Public Policy at the Manitoba Club..Thatcher was born in Grantham, Lincolnshire, the daughter of Alfred Roberts, who was a grocer, alderman, and Methodist preacher. In 1938, her parents' family gave sanctuary to a teenaged Jewish girl who fled Nazi Germany. Black said Thatcher's family also invited American servicemen into their home during the war.."She was always, as she said, grateful that the Americans, who could have sat out the war if they really wanted to, came in such overwhelming numbers to defeat the Nazis.".Thatcher's disdain for Germany also lingered.."Next to Stalingrad, possibly the greatest strategic error the German High Command made was when they bombed the town where Margaret Thatcher lived. She never forgave the Germans — never," Black said..Black recalled a G7 meeting where Thatcher gave a "wonderful address" where Henry Kissinger thanked her for her remarks. Kissinger echoed the quote, "All a statesman can do is listen for God's footfall and then touch the hem of His garment as He passes.".Thatcher, who was working on some notes, asked Black who Kissinger was talking about. Black told her it was former German Chancellor Otto Von Bismarck."Bismarck?! That German?" she said. "It's time to go home.".Regardless, Thatcher was "above all things, a courageous person" and a "sincere Christian," Black said.."I have to say she was no barrel of laughs; she did not have a great sense of humour. But one of her characteristics was she was absolutely unfailingly polite to people in support positions. The staff at Chequers and at Downing Street loved her. She believed these people were absolutely in no sense to be condescended to; they were perfectly equal to her.".Carol Thatcher, one of Margaret's daughters, worked for the Daily Telegraph when Black was its owner. Editor Max Hastings fired her, something Black called a "tactical error" and a "catastrophic mistake." The elder Thatcher called Black at 3 am with the opening words, "What do you think you're doing?" before Black even knew what had happened.."If it had been anyone else, Max would have been right. What she did was inappropriate. She declined a series from him, and then did it for another publication. But I said, 'Max, Thatcher is the prime minister. If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't be in this country. And you certainly wouldn't be in this job. I mean, have you got no goddamned brains? She's the prime minister's daughter! You can't fire her!'".Thatcher later attended Black's wedding reception where Max Hastings was the host.."She said to me, 'Is there a Mrs. Hastings?' And I said, 'They're divorced.' She said, 'I don't blame her.'".Black recalled attending Thatcher's final selection candidate meeting. Thatcher was heading into her ninth term as MP and third as prime minister.."Some man got up and said to the prime minister, 'Do you have any comment on your husband, Sir Denis Thatcher's drinking problem?'".Thatcher noticed her gin-and-tonic loving "D.T." stand up and asked him if he wanted to answer. ."He said, 'I don't have a problem! I just like it!'.Thatcher was Conservative leader from 1975 to 1990 and became prime minister four years into that period. Her leadership was challenged in 1989 and again in 1990, leading her to resign.."The British Conservatives are a nasty, ungrateful, and in many ways a cowardly party in terms of the way they choose their leaders and deal with their prime ministers. And Margaret was a victim of that," Black said..In 1992, Thatcher was named to the British House of Lords. She wrote three books from 1993 to 2003 before dying April 8, 2013 at age 87.."She was a very, very great leader and a very, very loyal person. And she did have an unfortunate sort of decline. She had a number of strokes and had Alzheimer's and it became impossible to have a serious conversation with her. But she was a wonderful person," Black said.."The late queen had 10 prime ministers die while she was the queen and she went to two funerals, Mr. Churchill and Mrs. Thatcher. They were the two who saved the country. The others, she sent one of the duchesses or sent some flowers to the funeral."
