Alf Roberts
Alfred Roberts JP (18 April 1892 – 10 February 1970) was an English grocer, Methodist lay preacher, and local politician who owned shops in Grantham, Lincolnshire, and served as the town's alderman from 1943 to 1952 and mayor from 1945 to 1946.[1][2][3]
As a self-made businessman and Conservative supporter, Roberts emphasized values of thrift, self-reliance, and public service, which he instilled in his daughters, including Margaret Hilda Roberts, who later became Margaret Thatcher, the United Kingdom's first female prime minister.[4][5]
Thatcher credited her father as her most significant influence, stating she owed almost everything to him for shaping her worldview and commitment to individual responsibility over state dependency.[4][6]
His role as a part-time Justice of the Peace and active community leader further exemplified the civic duty he modeled, contributing to Grantham's local governance during and after the Second World War.[5]