Elizabeth Margaret Braddock JP (Liverpool, 24 September 1899 – 13 November 1970), better known as Bessie Braddock, was a British Labour politician. A Justice of the Peace ( JP) is a Puisne Judicial officer appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace Liverpool ( is a City and Metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary Events 622 - Prophet Muhammad completes his hegira from Mecca to Medina. Year 1899 ( MDCCCXCIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 1002 - English king Ethelred orders the killing of all Danes in England, known today as the St Year 1970 ( MCMLXX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The Labour Party is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Founded at the start of the 20th century it has been since the 1920s the principal party of the
Born Elizabeth Bamber, Braddock's mother was Mary 'Ma' Bamber, also an active woman in Liverpool politics. Mary 'Ma' Bamber ( Edinburgh, 1874 &ndash 1938 in Liverpool) was a Socialist, Trade unionist, Social worker, and Suffragist The younger Bamber first joined the Communist Party of Great Britain but left, reportedly due to their lack of commitment to democracy. The Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB was the largest Communist party in the United Kingdom, though it never became a mass party like the Communist parties of She joined the Labour Party and in 1922 married John 'Jack' Braddock, also a member. Jack would later become leader of Liverpool City Council from 1955 to 1961 and again in May 1963. See City of Liverpool for other meanings Liverpool City Council is the governing body for the city of Liverpool in Merseyside 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. A labour council, trades council or industrial council is an association of labour unions or union branches in a given area She was a member of the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers for many years. The Union of Shop Distributive and Allied Workers (USDAW is a Trade union in the United Kingdom. During World War II she worked as an ambulance assistant officer. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including
Braddock was elected Member of Parliament for Liverpool Exchange at the 1945 election and served for 24 years. A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a Parliament. Liverpool Exchange was a Borough constituency within the city of Liverpool in England, centred around Liverpool Exchange railway station. Results |} Total votes cast 24073025 All parties shown Conservative total includes Ulster Unionists Reason for Labour victory She was a member of the Labour Party National Executive Committee and served as vice-chairman of the Labour Party in 1968. The National Executive Committee or NEC is the chief administrative body of the UK Labour Party.
Braddock was known as an ardent socialist and fiery campaigner, nicknamed 'Battling Bessie'. Her special interests included maternity, child welfare and youth crime.
Braddock was granted the Freedom of the City of Liverpool in 1970, shortly before her death. Freedom of the City is an honour bestowed by some municipalities in Australia, Canada, Ireland, France, Italy, New Zealand 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". Peter Frederick Carter-Ruck ( 26 February 1914, Steyning, West Sussex &ndash 19 December 2003, Uttlesford, Some credit Braddock with a famous exchange with Winston Churchill, which others ascribe to Nancy Astor:
Braddock: "Mr. Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC, PC (Can ( 30 November 1874 Nancy Witcher Astor Viscountess Astor, CH, ( May 19, 1879 &ndash May 2, 1964) was the first woman to serve as a Member of Parliament Churchill, this is a disgrace. You are quite drunk. "
Churchill: "And you, madame, are ugly. As for my condition, it will pass by the morning. You, however, will still be ugly. "
As Lady Astor was renowned for her beauty, whereas Braddock was notably plain, it is far more likely that this exchange took place between Churchill and Braddock.
Trivia
Braddock was in part the inspiration for the character Hyacinth Bucket in the BBC TV series "Keeping Up Appearances". Hyacinth Bucket, who insists her last name is pronounced "Bouquet" is the Main character in the BBC sitcom Keeping Up Appearances Keeping Up Appearances is a British sitcom starring Patricia Routledge as eccentric social-climbing snob Hyacinth Bucket.
External links
- Liverpool Pictorial Article
- BBC
- Listen to Rebels : Bessie Braddock' at the BBC archive
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by John Joseph Shute |
Member of Parliament for Liverpool Exchange 1945–1970 |
Succeeded by Robert Parry |
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