Bessie Braddock
Encyclopedia
Elizabeth Margaret Braddock JP
(Liverpool
, 24 September 1899 – 13 November 1970), better known as Bessie Braddock, was a British
Labour
politician. Known as an ardent socialist and fiery campaigner, nicknamed 'Battling Bessie', her special interests included maternity, child welfare and youth crime.
Born Elizabeth Bamber, Braddock's mother was Mary 'Ma' Bamber
, also an active woman in Liverpool politics. The younger Bamber first joined the Communist Party of Great Britain
but left, reportedly because of its lack of commitment to democracy. She joined the Labour Party and in 1922 married John 'Jack' Braddock, also a member. Jack later became leader of Liverpool City Council
, holding the position from 1955 to 1961 and again in May 1963. Bessie herself became a councillor in 1930 for St.Anne's Ward, and in 1945 she became president of the Liverpool Trades Council and Labour Party. She was a member of the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers
for many years. During World War II
she worked as an ambulance assistant officer.
She was a key figure responsible for the flooding of Tryweryn, a valley in Wales, to create a reservoir
to supply fresh water to the city of Liverpool. This was strongly opposed by residents of Capel Celyn
and the neighbouring countryside, who were evicted without recompense from their family homes and farms before they were submerged, and by Welsh politicians of all parties.
Braddock was elected Member of Parliament
for Liverpool Exchange
at the 1945 election
and represented the seat for 24 years. She was a member of the Labour Party National Executive Committee
and served as vice-chairman of the Labour Party in 1968.
She is often erroneously credited with a celebrated exchange of insults with Winston Churchill
, also ascribed to Nancy Astor:
She gave Peter Carter-Ruck
his start in the libel trade, when she sued the Bolton Evening Post who said she had "danced a jig on the floor of the House of Commons". Braddock was granted the Freedom of the City
of Liverpool in 1970, shortly before her death. There is a statue commemorating her in Liverpool Lime Street railway station
.
, the Littlewoods founder, even though Moores himself was a Conservative voter, and was a Conservative councillor for the Sefton ward between 1933 and 1940.
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
(Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, 24 September 1899 – 13 November 1970), better known as Bessie Braddock, was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
politician. Known as an ardent socialist and fiery campaigner, nicknamed 'Battling Bessie', her special interests included maternity, child welfare and youth crime.
Born Elizabeth Bamber, Braddock's mother was Mary 'Ma' Bamber
Mary Bamber
Mary 'Ma' Bamber , was a socialist, trade unionist, social worker, and suffragist. Her daughter Bessie Braddock was a prominent Labour Member of Parliament ....
, also an active woman in Liverpool politics. The younger Bamber first joined the Communist Party of Great Britain
Communist Party of Great Britain
The Communist Party of Great Britain was the largest communist party in Great Britain, although it never became a mass party like those in France and Italy. It existed from 1920 to 1991.-Formation:...
but left, reportedly because of its lack of commitment to democracy. She joined the Labour Party and in 1922 married John 'Jack' Braddock, also a member. Jack later became leader of Liverpool City Council
Liverpool City Council
Liverpool City Council is the governing body for the city of Liverpool in Merseyside, England. It consists of 90 councillors, three for each of the city's 30 wards. The council is currently controlled by the Labour Party and is led by Joe Anderson.-Domain:...
, holding the position from 1955 to 1961 and again in May 1963. Bessie herself became a councillor in 1930 for St.Anne's Ward, and in 1945 she became president of the Liverpool Trades Council and Labour Party. She was a member of the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers
Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers
The Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers is a trade union in the United Kingdom. Consisting of over 405,000 members, USDAW is the UK's fourth largest and fastest growing trade union. Membership has increased by more than 17% in the last five years and by nearly a third in the last decade...
for many years. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
she worked as an ambulance assistant officer.
She was a key figure responsible for the flooding of Tryweryn, a valley in Wales, to create a reservoir
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
to supply fresh water to the city of Liverpool. This was strongly opposed by residents of Capel Celyn
Capel Celyn
Capel Celyn was a rural community to the north west of Bala in Gwynedd, north Wales, in the Afon Tryweryn valley. The village and other parts of the valley were flooded to create a reservoir, Llyn Celyn, in order to supply Liverpool and The Wirral with water for industry...
and the neighbouring countryside, who were evicted without recompense from their family homes and farms before they were submerged, and by Welsh politicians of all parties.
Braddock was elected Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Liverpool Exchange
Liverpool Exchange (UK Parliament constituency)
Liverpool Exchange was a borough constituency within the city of Liverpool in England, centred around Liverpool Exchange railway station. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post system.The...
at the 1945 election
United Kingdom general election, 1945
The United Kingdom general election of 1945 was a general election held on 5 July 1945, with polls in some constituencies delayed until 12 July and in Nelson and Colne until 19 July, due to local wakes weeks. The results were counted and declared on 26 July, due in part to the time it took to...
and represented the seat for 24 years. She was a member of the Labour Party National Executive Committee
National Executive Committee
The National Executive Committee or NEC is the chief administrative body of the UK Labour Party. Its composition has changed over the years, and includes representatives of affiliated trade unions, the Parliamentary Labour Party and European Parliamentary Labour Party, Constituency Labour Parties,...
and served as vice-chairman of the Labour Party in 1968.
She is often erroneously credited with a celebrated exchange of insults with Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
, also ascribed to Nancy Astor:
Braddock: "Winston, you are drunk, and what's more you are disgustingly drunk."
Churchill: "Bessie, my dear, you are ugly, and what's more, you are disgustingly ugly. But tomorrow I shall be sober and you will still be disgustingly ugly."
She gave Peter Carter-Ruck
Peter Carter-Ruck
Peter Frederick Carter-Ruck was an English lawyer, specialising in libel cases. The firm he founded, Carter-Ruck, is still practising.-Personal life:...
his start in the libel trade, when she sued the Bolton Evening Post who said she had "danced a jig on the floor of the House of Commons". Braddock was granted the Freedom of the City
Freedom of the City
Freedom of the City is an honour bestowed by some municipalities in Australia, Canada, Ireland, France, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom, Gibraltar and Rhodesia to esteemed members of its community and to organisations to be honoured, often for service to the community;...
of Liverpool in 1970, shortly before her death. There is a statue commemorating her in Liverpool Lime Street railway station
Liverpool Lime Street railway station
Liverpool Lime Street is a railway station serving the city centre of Liverpool, England. The station lies on a branch of the West Coast Main Line from London Euston, and on the Wirral Line of the Merseyrail network...
.
Trivia
Braddock was a friend of Sir John MooresJohn Moores (merchant)
Sir John Moores CBE was a British businessman and philanthropist most famous for the founding of the now defunct Littlewoods retail company that was located in Liverpool, England.-Early years:...
, the Littlewoods founder, even though Moores himself was a Conservative voter, and was a Conservative councillor for the Sefton ward between 1933 and 1940.
External links
- Liverpool Pictorial Article
- Tryweryn
- BBC
- Listen to Rebels : Bessie Braddock' at the BBC archive