Margaret Crooks

{{Short description|Former deputy lord mayor of Belfast}}

{{Use dmy dates|date = November 2024}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Margaret Crooks

| office = Deputy Lord Mayor of Belfast

| term_start = 3 June 2003

| term_end = June 2004

| predecessor = Hugh Smyth (2002)

| successor = Joe O'Donnell

| term_start1 = June 1996

| term_end1 = June 1997

| predecessor1 = Alasdair McDonnell

| successor1 = Jim Rodgers

| office2 = High Sheriff of Belfast

| term_start2 = January 1994

| term_end2 = January 1995

| predecessor2 = Jim Walker

| successor2 = John Parkes

| office3 = Member of
Belfast City Council

| constituency3 = Balmoral

| term_start3 = 15 May 1985

| term_end3 = 5 May 2005

| predecessor3 = New district

| successor3 = Jim Kirkpatrick

| constituency4 = Belfast Area C

| term_start4 = 18 May 1977

| term_end4 = 15 May 1985

| predecessor4 = W.D. Gilmore

| successor4 = District abolished

| birth_date =

| birth_place = Belfast, Northern Ireland

| death_date = April 2014 {{cite web|title = Agenda and minutes for Pre April-2015 Council -|url = https://minutes3.belfastcity.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=277&MId=783&Ver=4|website = Belfast City Council|access-date = 13 November 2024}}

| party = Ulster Unionist Party

}}

Mary Margaret Crooks (died April 2014) was an Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) politician who served as deputy Lord Mayor of Belfast from June 2003 to June 2004, having previously been in the role from 1996 to 1997.

Additionally, Crooks was High Sheriff of Belfast between 1994 and 1995.{{cite news|title = APPOINTMENTS BY SECRETARY OF STATE|url = https://www.thegazette.co.uk/Belfast/issue/5482/page/1/data.pdf|work = The Gazette|date = 7 January 1994|access-date = 13 November 2024}}

She served as a Belfast City councillor from 1977 until 2005.

Background

Crooks was first elected to Belfast City Council at the 1977 local elections, representing Belfast Area C. {{cite web|title = Local government elections 1973-1981: Belfast |url = https://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/73-81lgbelfast.htm|website = Ark elections|access-date = 13 November 2024}}

In 1994, she was made High Sheriff of Belfast, becoming the fifth woman to serve in the role.{{cite news|title = New she-riff for City|url = https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/new-she-riff-for-city/28085508.html|work = Belfast Telegraph|date = 13 October 2002|access-date = 13 November 2024}}

At the 2001 Council election, Crooks topped the poll in Balmoral.{{cite news|title = UUP top NI council poll|url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/1384300.stm|work = BBC NEWS|date = 12 June 2001|access-date = 13 November 2024}}

Following the appointment of the SDLP's Martin Morgan as Lord Mayor of Belfast in June 2003, she served as his deputy.{{cite news|title = Mayor in partnership pledge|url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/2958534.stm|work = BBC NEWS|date = 3 June 2003|access-date = 13 November 2024}}

References