Obituary: Margaret Thatcher
Britain's first female prime minister, Margaret Thatcher, became a central figure in 20th Century politics.
www.bbc.comDirect answer: I can’t provide or locate “complete public statements 1945-1990” in full text here, but there are reputable sources that compile Margaret Thatcher’s speeches and public statements from that period.
What I can share right away
- Margaret Thatcher’s official speeches and statements from 1945–1990 are archived and searchable on dedicated sites that are widely used by researchers. These collections aim to include the vast majority of her public utterances across speeches, interviews, broadcasts, and articles [source: Thatcher Speeches archive overview].[1]
- A scholarly and bibliographic edition exists that counts roughly 7,500–7,600 statements across 1945–1990, compiled from Thatcher’s papers and other public records, with a substantial portion textually accessible in the archive [source: Thatcher CD-ROM editorial policy and histories].[2][5]
How to access and search efficiently
- Start with the official Thatcher public statements site, which includes an index and search function for 1945–1990 entries; it also notes the extent of text availability for many items (about 70% in listed cases) and provides context for each item.[1]
- For scholarly metadata, consult the publisher’s preface documenting the scope: it describes a complete edition of statements from June 1945 to November 1990, with a fully searchable list of about 7,500 statements and notes on accessible text.[2]
- If you need background on the scope and completeness, reputable summaries of the project acknowledge missing texts due to copyright or unavailable records, but the collection remains the most comprehensive public-facing compilation.[5]
Caveats and scope
- The phrase “complete public statements 1945-1990” is often used, but most public-facing editions acknowledge some gaps (missing texts, copyright restrictions for certain interviews) while still offering the most extensive compilation to date.[5]
- The material typically includes a mix of speeches, interviews, press conferences, articles, and broadcasts; some items may lack full transcripts, depending on the source.[2]
Would you like me to:
- Narrow to a specific type of public statement (e.g., parliamentary speeches only, or televised interviews), or
- Provide direct links to the Thatcher speeches archive and the publisher’s editorial policy pages so you can search by date and keyword yourselves?
Illustration example
- If you’re researching Thatcher’s Bruges speech (1988), the Thatcher archive provides the full text or a near-complete transcript in many cases, with context notes and publication details, which is typical for major public addresses in the collection.[1]