Lena Townsend
Encyclopedia
Lena Moncrieff Townsend CBE
(3 November 1911 – 17 November 2004) was a British
Conservative
politician
in London
and served briefly as Leader of the Inner London Education Authority
.
She was born in Cairo
as Lena Westropp, the daughter of a wealthy expatriate British family, and her early years ensured that she had a wide experience of culture. However, she was sent to England to Downe House
, a girls' boarding school which specialised in the daughters of colonial servants. She was promising academically and attended Somerville College, Oxford
and the University of Heidelberg.
During the Second World War she was an organiser for the Women's Voluntary Service and the Land Army. She married twice, firstly Henry Peat, and then John Townsend. In 1955 she was first elected to the London County Council
for her home seat of Hampstead
, and took a special interest in the Education Committee. She was chosen to be Leader of the Opposition on the Education Committee from the early 1960s.
Townsend was an unsuccessful candidate in the first Greater London Council
election of 1964, being defeated in Camden
. However in 1967 she was more fortunate and won by about 4,000 votes. This brought with it membership of the LCC Education Committee's successor body, the Inner London Education Authority
, and it was there that Townsend concentrated. The Conservatives had won narrow control of ILEA and Townsend ran for the Leadership, but lost to Christopher Chataway
who was the preferred candidate of the Conservative Party nationally.
Chataway did make Townsend his Deputy, and Chairman of the Schools Committee. The two worked well as a team, with both clearly on the left of the Conservative Party. Townsend supported 'Schools Councils' for pupils to take some responsibility for the management of their schools. She was nominated as a member of the Race Relations Board Conciliation Committee for London in 1968. She was a founder member of the Conservative Group for Europe.
In 1969 Christopher Chataway was elected to Parliament
in a byelection, and stepped down from the ILEA Leadership. Townsend was chosen as his successor, and largely continued his moderate policies. When Mary Whitehouse
attacked a BBC sex education
film, Townsend defended it. She was however faced with a strike of teachers in November that year over a national pay claim.
Fighting for re-election in 1970, Townsend promoted the record of three years of Conservative ILEA by pointing to the success in reducing class sizes by employing more teachers. However there was a small swing to Labour, who regained control; Townsend lost her seat in Camden but was elected as an Alderman
to the GLC and co-opted to ILEA's Education Committee. She remained as Leader of the Opposition until February 1971 when she resigned, saying that she needed a paying job.
Townsend remained an Alderman of the GLC until 1977 when the Aldermanic system was abolished. She was a member of several bodies, most prominently as a Governor of the London College of Fashion (and Chair of Governors from 1967 to 1986). In Edward Heath
's Dissolution Honours list of 1974 she was awarded a CBE
. Keeping the links with the country of her birth, she was President of the Anglo-Egypt
ian Association from 1961 until it was wound up in 1987.
CBE
CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
(3 November 1911 – 17 November 2004) 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...
Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and served briefly as Leader of the Inner London Education Authority
Inner London Education Authority
The Inner London Education Authority was the education authority for the 12 inner London boroughs from 1965 until its abolition in 1990.-History:...
.
She was born in 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...
as Lena Westropp, the daughter of a wealthy expatriate British family, and her early years ensured that she had a wide experience of culture. However, she was sent to England to Downe House
Downe House
Downe House School is an independent girls' boarding school in Cold Ash, a village near Newbury, Berkshire, for girls aged 11-18.-History:Downe House was founded in 1907 by Olive Willis, its first headmistress, as an all-girls' boarding school...
, a girls' boarding school which specialised in the daughters of colonial servants. She was promising academically and attended Somerville College, Oxford
Somerville College, Oxford
Somerville College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England, and was one of the first women's colleges to be founded there...
and the University of Heidelberg.
During the Second World War she was an organiser for the Women's Voluntary Service and the Land Army. She married twice, firstly Henry Peat, and then John Townsend. In 1955 she was first elected to the London County Council
London County Council
London County Council was the principal local government body for the County of London, throughout its 1889–1965 existence, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today known as Inner London and was replaced by the Greater London Council...
for her home seat of 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 took a special interest in the Education Committee. She was chosen to be Leader of the Opposition on the Education Committee from the early 1960s.
Townsend was an unsuccessful candidate in the first Greater London Council
Greater London Council
The Greater London Council was the top-tier local government administrative body for Greater London from 1965 to 1986. It replaced the earlier London County Council which had covered a much smaller area...
election of 1964, being defeated in Camden
London Borough of Camden
In 1801, the civil parishes that form the modern borough were already developed and had a total population of 96,795. This continued to rise swiftly throughout the 19th century, as the district became built up; reaching 270,197 in the middle of the century...
. However in 1967 she was more fortunate and won by about 4,000 votes. This brought with it membership of the LCC Education Committee's successor body, the Inner London Education Authority
Inner London Education Authority
The Inner London Education Authority was the education authority for the 12 inner London boroughs from 1965 until its abolition in 1990.-History:...
, and it was there that Townsend concentrated. The Conservatives had won narrow control of ILEA and Townsend ran for the Leadership, but lost to Christopher Chataway
Christopher Chataway
Sir Christopher John Chataway is a British former middle- and long-distance runner, television news broadcaster, and a Conservative politician...
who was the preferred candidate of the Conservative Party nationally.
Chataway did make Townsend his Deputy, and Chairman of the Schools Committee. The two worked well as a team, with both clearly on the left of the Conservative Party. Townsend supported 'Schools Councils' for pupils to take some responsibility for the management of their schools. She was nominated as a member of the Race Relations Board Conciliation Committee for London in 1968. She was a founder member of the Conservative Group for Europe.
In 1969 Christopher Chataway was elected to Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
in a byelection, and stepped down from the ILEA Leadership. Townsend was chosen as his successor, and largely continued his moderate policies. When Mary Whitehouse
Mary Whitehouse
Mary Whitehouse, CBE was a British campaigner against the permissive society particularly as the media portrayed and reflected it...
attacked a BBC sex education
Sex education
Sex education refers to formal programs of instruction on a wide range of issues relating to human sexuality, including human sexual anatomy, sexual reproduction, sexual intercourse, reproductive health, emotional relations, reproductive rights and responsibilities, abstinence, contraception, and...
film, Townsend defended it. She was however faced with a strike of teachers in November that year over a national pay claim.
Fighting for re-election in 1970, Townsend promoted the record of three years of Conservative ILEA by pointing to the success in reducing class sizes by employing more teachers. However there was a small swing to Labour, who regained control; Townsend lost her seat in Camden but was elected as an Alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
to the GLC and co-opted to ILEA's Education Committee. She remained as Leader of the Opposition until February 1971 when she resigned, saying that she needed a paying job.
Townsend remained an Alderman of the GLC until 1977 when the Aldermanic system was abolished. She was a member of several bodies, most prominently as a Governor of the London College of Fashion (and Chair of Governors from 1967 to 1986). In Edward Heath
Edward Heath
Sir Edward Richard George "Ted" Heath, KG, MBE, PC was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and as Leader of the Conservative Party ....
's Dissolution Honours list of 1974 she was awarded a CBE
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...
. Keeping the links with the country of her birth, she was President of the Anglo-Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian Association from 1961 until it was wound up in 1987.