On Friday 8th December CLP members and guests gathered for the official unveiling of the new brass name plaque at CLP HQ in Meredith Road. See Clacton Gazette Article
Pam Cox unveiled the new plaque
Cllr Pam Cox, Parliamentary Candidate for Colchester, was our guest of honour and performed the unveiling ceremony.
Pam said “I was delighted to be invited to unveil the new plaque. Margaret Bondfield was a formidable woman and champion of the rights of working people, especially those working in shops and retail. The retail sector still relies on women workers who benefit from the reforms that she introduced. There’s always more to do and I feel inspired by Margaret’s example”
It was a fun and celebratory occasion where we celebrated and socialised with mulled wine and mince pies whilst Pam Cox gave us an interesting talk about Margaret Bondfield.
Why Margaret Bondfield?
In memory of the centenary year of Margaret Bondfield being elected to Parliament for Northampton in the December 1923 General Election, the CLP Women’s Group and women’s officer Tracey Lewis (pictured) proposed to celebrate her life by renaming our CLP HQ in Meredith Road to The Margaret Bondfield House.
Who is Margaret Bondfield?
Margaret was a trailblazer, a working-class socialist and a trade unionist.
Despite her significant contribution, there is minimal public recognition of Bondfield’s place in history with no portrait of her in Westminster. However, Alison McGovern MP is working with the Labour Women’s Network by calling on the House of Commons Art Committee to put this right and to commission a fitting work to ensure Margaret receives the recognition she deserves in the Parliament she helped to transform.
A dedicated unionist she was the first woman Chair of the TUC Council.
She was one of the first Women MP’s and became the first female Cabinet Minister. As Minister of Labour, she was also the first woman Privy Counsellor.
Event Attendance
We had a large number of members and some members of the public join us for this celebration, which was also attended by Tendring District Labour councillor Peter Kotz.
