Sir Edward Heath (1916 – 2005)

Unveiled by Dame Rosemary Spencer in February 2012 on Arundells, Cathedral Close, the former Prime Minister’s home for the final twenty years of his life. After being elected as Conservative MP for Bexley in 1950, Edward Heath rose steadily through the Ministerial ranks, from Chief whip in 1955, through minister of Labour, Lord Privy Seal, and President of the Board of Trade, to Prime Minister in 1970. Probably his most significant achievement in that role was to negotiate Britain’s entry into the European Economic Community in 1973. After losing his second general election in 1974 and the leadership of his party in 1975, he spent the last 27 years of his political career on the back benches. Outside politics he was a world class yachtsman and a talented musician.