Sara Morrison

The Honourable
Sara Morrison
FRSA
Born
Antoinette Sara Frances Sibell Long

(1934-08-09) 9 August 1934
Kensington, London, England
Employer(s)General Electric Company
Abbey National
Carlton TV
Imperial College London
OrganizationWorld Wide Fund for Nature
Political partyConservative Party (UK)
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1954; div. 1984)​
Children2
Parents
Relatives
HonoursFellow of the Royal Society of Arts

Antoinette Sara Frances Sibell Morrison (née Long, born 9 August 1934) is a British politician, businesswoman and philanthropist. She was vice-chairman of the Conservative Party from 1971 to 1975 and worked for companies including the General Electric Company, Abbey National bank and Carlton TV. She was also Chairperson of World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) UK.

Family

Morrison was born as the Hon. Antoinette Sara Frances Sibell Long on 9 August 1934[1] in Kensington, London. Her father was the peer and soldier Walter Long, 2nd Viscount Long, and her mother was Frances Laura Charteris.[2]

As a sixteen-month-old infant in 1935, Morrison featured on the cover of Tatler magazine with her mother.[3] On her maternal side, Morrison's uncle was novelist and screenwriter Hugo Charteris and her aunt was society hostess Ann Fleming.[4]

Morrison's parents divorced in 1942. Her father was killed in action at Uden, Netherlands in 1944, while serving with the Coldstream Guards in World War II. Her mother married three more times, firstly to William Ward, 3rd Earl of Dudley, secondly to Michael Temple Canfield, and thirdly to John Spencer-Churchill, 10th Duke of Marlborough.[5][6]

Morrison was the last member of the Long family to live at South Wraxall Manor in South Wraxall, Wiltshire.[7]

On 28 October 1954, Morrison married landowner and Conservative politician Charles Morrison, the second son of John Morrison, 1st Baron Margadale and the Honourable Margaret Esther Lucie Smith.[8][9] They had two children:[10] a daughter Anabel Laura Dorothy Morrison and a son David John Morrison, who had Princess Alexandra of Kent as a godmother.[11] The marriage ended in divorce in 1984.[2][8][12]

Career

Morrison was elected county councillor then alderman for the county of Wiltshire between 1961 and 1971.[13] She was vice-chairman of the national Conservative Party from 1971 to 1975.[2] Morrison was a close friend of Leader of the Conservative Party and prime minister Edward Heath.[14]

In business, Morrison worked for the General Electric Company (GEC) from 1975 to 1998 and was a director from 1980 to 1998. She was a non-executive director of Abbey National bank from 1979 to 1995. She held the office of governor of Imperial College London in 1986 and was appointed Honorary Fellow in 1993. She was a director of Carlton TV in 1992.[2]

On 1 January 1998 Morrison became chairperson of World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) UK and was elected to the board of WWF International. She was elected vice-president of WWF International in November 2000 and became an emeritus member in 2005.[15]

Honours

Morrison was appointed a Life Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA) in 1986.[2]

Morrison was awarded an Honorary DSc by the University of Buckingham in 2000.[16] She also holds Honorary degrees from Coventry University and De Montfort University.[2]

References

  1. ^ Burke, Bernard; Burke, Ashworth Peter (1935). A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Peerage and Baronetage, the Privy Council and Knightage. Burke's Peerage, Limited. p. 1524.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Morrison, Hon. Sara Antoinette Sibell Frances, (Hon. Mrs Sara Morrison), (born 9 Aug. 1934)", Who's Who, Oxford University Press, 1 December 2007, doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.u28239, retrieved 19 November 2025
  3. ^ "Viscountess Long and her daughter, Sara. Frances Laura (née Charteris), Duchess of Marlborough, former wife of 2nd… | Framed poster print, Picture library, Bw photo". Pinterest. Retrieved 19 November 2025.
  4. ^ Reindorp, Christopher (23 February 2023). Never Shaken, Never Stirred: The Story of Ann Fleming and Laura, Duchess of Marlborough. History Press. ISBN 978-1-80399-292-1.
  5. ^ "Marlborough to Marry Mrs. Canfield (Published 1972)". The New York Times. 19 January 1972. Retrieved 19 November 2025.
  6. ^ "Future Duchess Looks to the Splendors of Blenheim (Published 1972)". The New York Times. 25 January 1972. Retrieved 19 November 2025.
  7. ^ Morgan, Charley (11 August 2006). "Restored picture honours family to the Manor born". Wiltshire Times. Retrieved 19 November 2025.
  8. ^ a b "Obituary: Sir Charles Morrison". The Daily Telegraph. 12 May 2005. Retrieved 19 November 2025.
  9. ^ "Wraxall Manor". Bradford on Avon Museum. Retrieved 19 November 2025.
  10. ^ "Former MP dies aged 72". The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald. 20 May 2005. Retrieved 19 November 2025.
  11. ^ "Princess Alexandra of Kent became a Godparent to the baby son of Mr..." Getty Images. 25 January 2019. Retrieved 19 November 2025.
  12. ^ Morris, Susan (20 April 2020). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage 2019. eBook Partnership. p. 1942. ISBN 978-1-9997670-5-1.
  13. ^ The World Who's who of Women. Melrose Press. 1992. p. 704. ISBN 978-0-948875-80-9.
  14. ^ "Edward Heath 'was not a sexual being', says closest female friend". The Independent. 15 August 2015. Retrieved 19 November 2025.
  15. ^ "Presidents - past and present". World Wide Fund for Nature. Retrieved 19 November 2025.
  16. ^ "Honorary Graduates 1978 - 2000". University of Buckingham. Retrieved 19 November 2025.
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