Unity Lister
Encyclopedia
Dame Unity Viola Webley Lister, DBE (9 June 1913 – 15 December 1998) was a British
Conservative political activist.
Born in Woolwich
to a doctor father and a Quaker mother, she had a facility for foreign languages, and this earned her an important post in the Military Censor's office during the Second World War.
and its successor body, the Greater London Council
- from 1949 to 1983, and as Deputy Chairman in 1963-64. She was a passionate Europhile
believer in Britain's place at the centre of Europe. She served as a member of the executive of the European Union of Women from 1971, and was a member of the European Movement
and the Conservative Group for Europe. The purpose of the committee was to encourage Tory women to join non-party organisations with charitable purposes and to express the party's view on all matters connected with social welfare. It was the brainchild of Joan Varley, then a senior functionary at Conservative Central Office, who had noted that Labour activists - and Labour views - seemed over-influential in non-political organisations.
Lister helped in the drafting of the Tory response to Barbara Castle
's Equal Opportunities Bill and the preparation of the party's argument for entry into the European Economic Community
.
In 1940 she married an old school friend, Sam Lister (d. 1995), a mechanical engineer who ran a small family firm of manufacturers. Her husband had a keenly developed interest in local government, and became a Woolwich councillor. When it was suggested that he stand for the London County Council, he demurred, and proposed his wife instead. She was duly elected in 1949 and served as an exceptionally effective deputy chairman between 1963 and 1964.
She had risen through the voluntary ranks of her party and, in 1971, was chairman of the National Union of Conservative and Unionist Associations
, and thus had the duty of taking the chair at the party conference that year. The job of conference chairman in 1971 was a peculiarly difficult one - the party was riven by doubts about the wisdom of the leadership's policy for entry into the European Economic Community, doubts fuelled by the passionate rhetoric of Enoch Powell
. Unity Lister presided over the fervent and turbulent debate on European policy - there were 125 amendments to the substantive motion - with the strict sense of control which marked all her public appearances - the Government's policy was carried by a strong majority.
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 political activist.
Born in Woolwich
Woolwich
Woolwich is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.Woolwich formed part of Kent until 1889 when the County of London was created...
to a doctor father and a Quaker mother, she had a facility for foreign languages, and this earned her an important post in the Military Censor's office during the Second World War.
Post WWII
She was a long-serving member of the London County CouncilLondon 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...
and its successor body, the 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...
- from 1949 to 1983, and as Deputy Chairman in 1963-64. She was a passionate Europhile
Europhile
A europhile is a person who is fond of, admires, or even loves European culture, society, history, food, etc. In politics, it may be used to imply Pro-Europeanism, or support for the European Union, often disapprovingly...
believer in Britain's place at the centre of Europe. She served as a member of the executive of the European Union of Women from 1971, and was a member of the European Movement
European Movement
The European Movement International is a lobbying association that coordinates the efforts of associations and national councils with the goal of promoting European integration, and disseminating information about it.-History:...
and the Conservative Group for Europe. The purpose of the committee was to encourage Tory women to join non-party organisations with charitable purposes and to express the party's view on all matters connected with social welfare. It was the brainchild of Joan Varley, then a senior functionary at Conservative Central Office, who had noted that Labour activists - and Labour views - seemed over-influential in non-political organisations.
Lister helped in the drafting of the Tory response to Barbara Castle
Barbara Castle
Barbara Anne Castle, Baroness Castle of Blackburn , PC, GCOT was a British Labour Party politician....
's Equal Opportunities Bill and the preparation of the party's argument for entry into the European Economic Community
European Economic Community
The European Economic Community The European Economic Community (EEC) The European Economic Community (EEC) (also known as the Common Market in the English-speaking world, renamed the European Community (EC) in 1993The information in this article primarily covers the EEC's time as an independent...
.
In 1940 she married an old school friend, Sam Lister (d. 1995), a mechanical engineer who ran a small family firm of manufacturers. Her husband had a keenly developed interest in local government, and became a Woolwich councillor. When it was suggested that he stand for the London County Council, he demurred, and proposed his wife instead. She was duly elected in 1949 and served as an exceptionally effective deputy chairman between 1963 and 1964.
She had risen through the voluntary ranks of her party and, in 1971, was chairman of the National Union of Conservative and Unionist Associations
National Union of Conservative and Unionist Associations
The National Union of Conservative and Unionist Associations was a federation of the voluntary wing of the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom....
, and thus had the duty of taking the chair at the party conference that year. The job of conference chairman in 1971 was a peculiarly difficult one - the party was riven by doubts about the wisdom of the leadership's policy for entry into the European Economic Community, doubts fuelled by the passionate rhetoric of Enoch Powell
Enoch Powell
John Enoch Powell, MBE was a British politician, classical scholar, poet, writer, and soldier. He served as a Conservative Party MP and Minister of Health . He attained most prominence in 1968, when he made the controversial Rivers of Blood speech in opposition to mass immigration from...
. Unity Lister presided over the fervent and turbulent debate on European policy - there were 125 amendments to the substantive motion - with the strict sense of control which marked all her public appearances - the Government's policy was carried by a strong majority.
Affiliations
- London County Council, 1949 - 1965
- Greater London Council, 1965 - 1983
- Chairman, Women's National Advisory Committee, 1966 - 1969
- Chairman, National Union of Conservative and Unionist Associations, 1970 - 1971
External links
- Obituary, findarticles.com