Helen Bentwich
Encyclopedia
Helen Caroline Bentwich CBE
(6 January 1892 - 26 April 1972) was a British
social worker and politician.
and Stuart Samuel
were leading politicians. She attended St Paul's Girls' School
and Bedford College (London).
In 1915 she married barrister Norman Bentwich
, and went with him to Cairo
where he worked in the British administration. The following year she returned to London and became a forewoman at the Woolwich Arsenal
. She fought for the rights of women workers and tried to form a trade union. Forced to resign, she became an organiser for the Women's Land Army
.
In 1919 she returned to be with her husband in Palestine
where he was appointed attorney-general under the British Mandate
. She organised nursery schools, formed arts and crafts centres, and became honorary secretary of the Palestine Council of Jewish Women. She had mixed feelings about later developments in the region:
Her nephew, lawyer Benedict Birnberg, wrote that she "never acquired a handle and always cold-shouldered Zionism."
In 1931, the couple returned to England. They had homes in Hampstead
and Sandwich
, as well as a home in Jerusalem, where her husband was a Hebrew University professor. Soon after her arrival, Helen joined the Labour Party and ran for Parliament at a by-election in Dulwich (1932)
and in Harrow
in the 1935 general election
, but lost both times. However in the spring of 1934 she was invited by Eveline Lowe to become a co-opted member of the London County Council education committee, and in 1937 she was elected a member of the Council for North Kensington
. In 1946 she was elected for Bethnal Green North-East
and from 1955 to 1965 she was a member for Stoke Newington and Hackney North. She became chairman of the education committee in 1947, alderman in 1949, vice-chair in 1950, and Chairman of the Council from 1956-1957. In 1965 she was appointed CBE.
In the 1930s she was active in the Movement for the Care of Children from Germany, and was later involved in helping the Falashas in Ethiopia. She died in 1972, a year after her husband.
, ref 7HBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(6 January 1892 - 26 April 1972) 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...
social worker and politician.
Biography
Helen Franklin (later Bentwich) was born in Notting Hill, London, into a prominent Jewish family. Her father was a merchant banker and her uncles HerbertHerbert Samuel, 1st Viscount Samuel
Herbert Louis Samuel, 1st Viscount Samuel GCB OM GBE PC was a British politician and diplomat.-Early years:...
and Stuart Samuel
Sir Stuart Samuel, 1st Baronet
Sir Stuart Montagu Samuel, 1st Baronet was a British Liberal politician. He was the elder brother of Herbert Samuel, 1st Viscount Samuel....
were leading politicians. She attended St Paul's Girls' School
St Paul's Girls' School
St Paul's Girls' School is a senior independent school, located in Brook Green, Hammersmith, in West London, England.-History:In 1904 a new day school for girls was established by the trustees of the Dean Colet Foundation , which had run St Paul's School for boys since the sixteenth century...
and Bedford College (London).
In 1915 she married barrister Norman Bentwich
Norman Bentwich
Norman De Mattos Bentwich OBE MC was a British barrister and legal academic who served as Legal Secretary and the first Attorney-General of Mandatory Palestine from 1918 to 1931. A lifelong Zionist, Bentwich was close to the moderate wing of the movement...
, and went with him to Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
where he worked in the British administration. The following year she returned to London and became a forewoman at the Woolwich Arsenal
Royal Arsenal
The Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, originally known as the Woolwich Warren, carried out armaments manufacture, ammunition proofing and explosives research for the British armed forces. It was sited on the south bank of the River Thames in Woolwich in south-east London, England.-Early history:The Warren...
. She fought for the rights of women workers and tried to form a trade union. Forced to resign, she became an organiser for the Women's Land Army
Women's Land Army
The Women's Land Army was a British civilian organisation created during the First and Second World Wars to work in agriculture replacing men called up to the military. Women who worked for the WLA were commonly known as Land Girls...
.
In 1919 she returned to be with her husband in Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
where he was appointed attorney-general under the British Mandate
British Mandate
British Mandate may refer to:*British Mandate for Palestine*British Mandate of Mesopotamia...
. She organised nursery schools, formed arts and crafts centres, and became honorary secretary of the Palestine Council of Jewish Women. She had mixed feelings about later developments in the region:
Her nephew, lawyer Benedict Birnberg, wrote that she "never acquired a handle and always cold-shouldered Zionism."
In 1931, the couple returned to England. They had homes in Hampstead
Hampstead
Hampstead is an area of London, England, north-west of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Camden in Inner London, it is known for its intellectual, liberal, artistic, musical and literary associations and for Hampstead Heath, a large, hilly expanse of parkland...
and Sandwich
Sandwich
A sandwich is a food item, typically consisting of two or more slices of :bread with one or more fillings between them, or one slice of bread with a topping or toppings, commonly called an open sandwich. Sandwiches are a widely popular type of lunch food, typically taken to work or school, or...
, as well as a home in Jerusalem, where her husband was a Hebrew University professor. Soon after her arrival, Helen joined the Labour Party and ran for Parliament at a by-election in Dulwich (1932)
Dulwich by-election, 1932
The Dulwich by-election, 1932 was a by-election held on 8 June 1932 for the British House of Commons constituency of Dulwich in South London.The by-election was triggered by the death of the serving Conservative Party Member of Parliament , Sir Frederick Hall.The Conservative and National candidate...
and in Harrow
Harrow (UK Parliament constituency)
Harrow was a parliamentary constituency centred on the Harrow suburb of North London. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
in the 1935 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1935
The United Kingdom general election held on 14 November 1935 resulted in a large, though reduced, majority for the National Government now led by Conservative Stanley Baldwin. The greatest number of MPs, as before, were Conservative, while the National Liberal vote held steady...
, but lost both times. However in the spring of 1934 she was invited by Eveline Lowe to become a co-opted member of the London County Council education committee, and in 1937 she was elected a member of the Council for North Kensington
Kensington North (UK Parliament constituency)
Kensington North was a parliamentary constituency centred on the Kensington district of west London. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
. In 1946 she was elected for Bethnal Green North-East
Bethnal Green North East (UK Parliament constituency)
Bethnal Green North East was a parliamentary constituency in London, which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
and from 1955 to 1965 she was a member for Stoke Newington and Hackney North. She became chairman of the education committee in 1947, alderman in 1949, vice-chair in 1950, and Chairman of the Council from 1956-1957. In 1965 she was appointed CBE.
In the 1930s she was active in the Movement for the Care of Children from Germany, and was later involved in helping the Falashas in Ethiopia. She died in 1972, a year after her husband.
Archives
The archives of Helen Bentwich are held at The Women's Library at London Metropolitan UniversityLondon Metropolitan University
London Metropolitan University , located in London, England, was formed on 1 August 2002 by the amalgamation of the University of North London and the London Guildhall University . The University has campuses in the City of London and in the London Borough of Islington.The University operates its...
, ref 7HBE
Books
Book by Helen C. Bentwich:- Our Councils: The Story of Local Government (Routledge and Kegan Paul, London 1962)
- Mandate Memories, 1918 - 1948 (with Norman Bentwich, Hogarth Press, 1965)
- The Vale of Health on Hampstead Heath, 1777-1967 (High Hill Press, Hampstead, 1968)
- History of Sandwich in Kent (T F Pain and Sons, Deal, 1971)
- If I forget thee: some chapters of autobiography, 1912-20 (Elek, London, 1973)
- Tidings from Zion : Helen Bentwich’s letters from Jerusalem, 1919-1931 (edited by Jenifer Glynn; I B Tauris, London, 2000).