On June 28 1978, the Chronicle's heavily-pregnant reporter Carolyn Thorpe was one of a number of journalists to greet Margaret Thatcher in Penistone. Ed Elliot found out more.
Although described by David Cameron as the 'patriot Prime Minister' who had a 'lion-hearted love for the country', following her death on Monday, public opinion of the Iron Lady could not be more divided.
But less than a year before her arrival at 10 Downing Street, the then-Conservative party leader visited Penistone to drum up election support.
A handful of local councillors, along with an assortment of regional and national press welcomed her at St John's Community Centre, including Chronicle reporter Carolyn.
The expectant mother was overdue with son Guy at the time and managed to grab a quick chat with the Tory leader.
"I was surprised by how small she was and I remember she was wearing a pale blue coat," says Carolyn. "None of us could approach her and and she would only answer certain questions.
"The reporters from the Star and the Sheffield Telegraph knew me and said 'I think you should see if she'll shake your hand; it may start the baby off'.
"I plucked up the courage to approach her and nobody stopped me. I told her the tale and we stood on the steps of the community centre and had a photograph taken."
Subsequent newspaper reports focused on the Tories' apparent attempt to help 'labour', and Carolyn received phone calls from national media outlets, hoping the meeting would have prompted the baby's arrival, until midnight.
After Guy's birth, in the early hours of June 30, Carolyn, of Upper Denby, wrote to the House of Commons to inform the Leader of the Opposition of his appearance.
She received a short letter back - in which Mrs Thatcher stated she hoped Guy would be 'a little Tory' - as well as an invitation to Prime Minister's Question Time.
Carolyn accepted but, with a time-consuming newborn to care for, by the time she took up the offer the new leader was in place at Number 10.
"She struck me as someone very much in authority but I also found her very genuine.
"She was the Iron Lady and she came across as that at that time, but she went along with what we wanted when she could've been arrogant.
"It was mainly reporters there, nationals as well as us. I can't remember it being over-crowded as such and it was only one of the smaller rooms.
"I didn't know she was going to be so famous at the time. People either love her or hate her. I'm not really political but I admired her. She knew what she wanted and went for it."
After her death the name Margaret Thatcher will continue to split the nation and, for almost all, overriding memories will be post-1979.
But for Carolyn, who keenly followed Lady Thatcher's progress throughout her time at number ten, that poorly-attended pre-election gathering in Penistone will always stand out.
"It was definitely the pinnacle of my career."
