Jim Callaghan was born in Portsmouth where his father was a Royal Navy Chief Petty Officer.

His father died when he was nine, plunging the family into poverty. They received no pension until Labour came into office in 1931 and paid the Callaghans a weekly pension of 10 shillings (50p).Educated at Portsmouth Northern Secondary School, he left at 16 to work as a clerk for the Inland Revenue where became involved with the union.

During the Second World War Callaghan served in the Royal Navy Patrol Service from 1943, but while on leave he was able to get selected as a Parliamentary candidate for Cardiff South, later Cardiff South East.

He won the seat in the 1945 UK general election and rose steadily through the party in Opposition, and stood for the leadership after Gaitskell's death in 1963.In 1964 as Chancellor of the Exchequer, he decided not to devalue the pound, which proved to be a disastrous decision. He was forced to do so three years later and felt obliged to resign as Chancellor and became Home Secretary. During this time there was worsening violence in Northern Ireland and in 1969 he sent troops to the province.

He was Prime Minister from 1976 to 1979 which included the notorious Winter of Discontent' in 1978, when widespread industrial action over pay policy severely damaged the Government's authority.

Following a loss of a confidence motion on 28 March 1979 by just one vote, Callaghan was obliged to hold a general election, which was won by Margaret Thatcher. Callaghan remained an MP until the 1987 general election when he retired after 42 years as a member of the Commons.

The same year, he was elevated to the House of Lords as Baron Callaghan of Cardiff. Lord Callaghan was married for 67 years to Audrey Elizabeth Moulton. He died at his farm in East Sussex on March 26, 2005 on the eve of his 93rd birthday and just 11 days after the death of his wife.

Name: James Callaghan Occupation: Former prime minister Date of Birth: March 27, 1912 DIED: March 26, 2005 local link: Born in Portsmouth