Wilkinson, Ellen
Wilkinson, Ellen (1891–1947). One of Britain's best known and most successful female politicians. After completing a history degree at Manchester University, she became an organizer for the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies and then, in 1915, for the National Women's Organization of the Amalgamated Union of Co-operative Employees. Although an early Communist Party member, she became Labour MP for Middlesbrough (1924–31) and for Jarrow from 1935. It was in the 1930s that ‘Red Ellen’ made her reputation as a crusader for the unemployed with extensive involvement in the Unity campaign, the famous Jarrow march, and in the campaign against fascism in Germany and Spain. Her fiery oratory became legend. By the outbreak of war she had risen from rebel to frontbencher and was given a position in the Home Office in 1940. As minister for education 1945–7 her career has been regarded with disappointment by some. Yet she achieved much: the implementation of the 1944 Education Act, the raising of the school-leaving age to 15, despite Treasury opposition, the building of new schools, and the introduction of ‘school milk’. Her achievement was more impressive given the unfavourable prevailing economic conditions. She died of bronchitis in 1947.
Lewis Mates
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Wilkinson, Ellen