▁became ▁its ▁first ▁woman ▁member . ▁She ▁was ▁also ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁Ash bur ton ▁Pl unk et ▁Society , ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Red ▁Cross ▁executive ▁and ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁Mount ▁Som ers ▁Lad ies ' ▁Gu ild . ▁When ▁her ▁husband ▁Arthur ▁Gr igg ▁rejo ined ▁the ▁army , ▁she ▁took ▁over ▁his ▁parliament ary ▁duties ▁in ▁the ▁elect or ate . ▁ ▁She ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁represent ▁the ▁Mid - Can ter bury ▁elect or ate ▁in ▁Parliament ▁from ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁after ▁the ▁death ▁( on ▁ 2 9 ▁November ▁ 1 9 4 1 ) ▁of ▁her ▁husband ▁Arthur ▁Gr igg ▁in ▁a ▁political ▁practice ▁known ▁as ▁wid ow ' s ▁succession . ▁She ▁had ▁married ▁Gr igg ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 0 , ▁and ▁he ▁had ▁held ▁the ▁Mid - Can ter bury ▁elect or ate ▁from ▁ 1 9 3 8 ▁ ▁Her ▁greatest ▁area ▁of ▁concern ▁was ▁far ming ▁issues , ▁followed ▁by ▁housing , ▁health ▁and ▁education . ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁she ▁joined ▁with ▁other ▁women ▁MP s ▁from ▁both ▁sides ▁of ▁the ▁House ▁to ▁argue ▁that ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁women ▁police ▁officers ▁should ▁be ▁increased ▁and ▁that ▁they ▁should ▁be ▁issued ▁with ▁a ▁uniform . ▁She ▁also ▁campaign ed ▁for ▁women ▁to ▁be ▁permitted ▁to ▁sit ▁on ▁jur ies . ▁ ▁She ▁married ▁William ▁Pol son ▁MP ▁on ▁ 2 9 ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁and ▁did ▁not ▁seek ▁re - e lection ▁in ▁the