Tag: Labour party

20th century history, Conferences/seminars, Post-1945 history, Women and Parliament

‘Housewives in the House’: Labour Women MPs in Parliament, 1945-1951

Ahead of next Tuesday’s Virtual IHR Parliaments, Politics and People seminar, we hear from Dr Lyndsey Jenkins of Queen Mary, University of London. On 23 November 2021, between 5.15 p.m. and 6.30 p.m., she will be responding to your questions about her pre-circulated paper on ‘Housewives and the House: Women Labour MPs and ‘the housewife’ in Parliament in the 1940s and 1950s’. Details of how to join the discussion are available here, … Continue reading ‘Housewives in the House’: Labour Women MPs in Parliament, 1945-1951

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20th century history, History of Parliament Trust, Oral history, Post-1945 history, Social history

A tribute to John M. H. Lee

In the fifth blog of this sombre series that pays tribute to interviewees from our Oral History Project, Emma Peplow looks back on the life and career of John Lee, Labour MP for Reading (1966-70) and Birmingham Handsworth (Feb 1974-79), who we interviewed in 2013… John Lee was born in Bagshot, Surrey. His comfortable background (his father worked in the City) might be a surprise … Continue reading A tribute to John M. H. Lee

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20th century history, Oral history, Post-1945 history

A tribute to Joe Ashton, MP for Bassetlaw 1968-2001

This is our third blogpost paying tribute to former MPs and interviewees of our Oral History Project who have sadly passed away during the current crisis. Here project lead Dr Emma Peplow remembers Joe Ashton, MP for Bassetlaw October 1968-2001. Born in Attercliffe, Sheffield in 1933, Joe Ashton told us during his 2012 interview for our oral history project that he came second in a … Continue reading A tribute to Joe Ashton, MP for Bassetlaw 1968-2001

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LGBTQ+ History, Post-1945 history, Women and Parliament

Maureen Colquhoun: “an open lesbian-feminist woman” in the House of Commons

In our second blog for LGBTQ+ History Month our Public Engagement Manager, Sammy Sturgess, explores the parliamentary career of Maureen Colquhoun who was the first openly lesbian MP, as well as the first openly LGBTQ+ MP… Maureen Colquhoun was elected as Labour MP for the newly formed constituency of Northampton North in February 1974. This was her second attempt at winning a seat, having lost … Continue reading Maureen Colquhoun: “an open lesbian-feminist woman” in the House of Commons

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20th century history, Women and Parliament

The First Woman Cabinet Minister: Margaret Bondfield, 1873- 1953

In this new blog for our ‘Women and Parliament’ series, Dr Paula Bartley gives an overview of the political career of the first woman Cabinet Minister, Margaret Bondfield, who was appointed as such 90 years ago today. This blog is inspired by Paula’s research from her newly published book, Labour Women in Power, which examines the lives of Margaret Bondfield, Ellen Wilkinson, Barbara Castle, Judith … Continue reading The First Woman Cabinet Minister: Margaret Bondfield, 1873- 1953

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20th century history, Conferences/seminars

Parliaments, Politics and People: Patriotic Labour 1918

In the last session of our IHR seminar, Parliaments, Politics and People, we enjoyed a paper from Professor Emeritus of Politics from the University of York, David Howell. Below he summarises his paper on patriotic Labour in the wake of the Great War… Lloyd George rapidly called an election following the signing of an armistice on 11 November 1918. Three days later an already scheduled … Continue reading Parliaments, Politics and People: Patriotic Labour 1918

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20th century history, Post-1945 history, Women and Parliament

‘I am a political animal, but I am not a politician’: Leah Manning as a sponsored parliamentary candidate in the 1930s.

Next up in the Women and Parliament series we hear from Dr James Parker of the University of Exeter. He explores the sponsorship of Leah Manning’s candidature by the National Union of Teachers… Leah Manning (1886-1977) was the thirteenth woman to be elected as a Labour Member of Parliament, representing Islington East in the House of Commons from February to October 1931 and later serving … Continue reading ‘I am a political animal, but I am not a politician’: Leah Manning as a sponsored parliamentary candidate in the 1930s.

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20th century history, Social history, Women and Parliament

Ellen Wilkinson’s search for social justice in 1936

As #WomensHistoryMonth draws to a close we hear from guest blogger Laura Beers, Associate Professor of History at American University, about the subject of her latest book, Ellen Wilkinson. In this piece Laura discusses a significant year in Ellen’s career, 1936, as an example of her quest for social justice… In 1940, when Ellen Wilkinson was appointed as parliamentary secretary to the minister of pensions, … Continue reading Ellen Wilkinson’s search for social justice in 1936

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20th century history, Commemorating Josiah C. Wedgwood, History of Parliament Trust

Commemorating Josiah C. Wedgwood: new HLF funded project

Today’s blog is the first in the series about our activities in Staffordshire as part of our HLF funded project, Commemorating Josiah C. Wedgwood. We’d also like to to give special thanks to the Remembering Eleanor Rathbone Group for their time, support and enthusiasm for the project. We are delighted to have been awarded funding to tour an exhibition in and around Wedgwood’s former constituency, Newcastle-under-Lyme, … Continue reading Commemorating Josiah C. Wedgwood: new HLF funded project

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20th century history, Events, History of Parliament Trust

A Fighting Life: Commemorating Josiah C. Wedgwood, founder of the History of Parliament project

Today we hear from our Public Engagement Officer, Sammy Sturgess about our recent event in Westminster to launch our activities to commemorate the life of the founder of the History of Parliament project and lifelong crusader for democracy, Col. Josiah C. Wedgwood MP…  On 12 June in Parliament, amid the Commons voting on the Lords’ amendments to the Brexit bill, the History of Parliament Trust … Continue reading A Fighting Life: Commemorating Josiah C. Wedgwood, founder of the History of Parliament project

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