Lena Townsend
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Lena Moncrieff Townsend
She was born in Egypt, to an Irish father and a Scottish mother, both of whom were born in India.[1] She studied at Oxford, and for a time worked as a fashion writer. She had three children.[2]
During the
Townsend was an unsuccessful candidate in the first Greater London Council election of 1964, being defeated in Camden.[2] 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.[citation needed]
Chataway did make Townsend his Deputy, and Chairman of the Schools Committee. 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.[citation needed]
In 1969 Christopher Chataway was elected to
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;[3] Townsend lost her seat in Camden but was elected as an Alderman to the GLC and co-opted to ILEA's Education Committee.[4] She remained as Leader of the Opposition until February 1971 when she resigned, saying that she needed a paying job.[5]
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
Association from 1961 until it was wound up in 1987.References
- ^ "'I have a cane in my study', headmaster tells school panel". The Kensington News and West London Times. 20 November 1970. p. 6. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
"I'm a typical Londoner", said Mrs. Townsend. "I was born in Egypt, my father was Irish, my mother Scottish, and both of them were born in India".
- ^ a b "Just a 5 1/2% Swing and Camden Goes Tory". Evening Standard. 10 April 1967. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
- ^ "ILEA 'tragedy' by Lena". Evening Standard. 10 April 1970. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
- ^ King, Michael F. (16 April 1970). "Three losers named as GLC Aldermen". Evening Standard. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
- ^ King, Michael F. (12 February 1971). "ILEA Tory leader to quit". Evening Standard. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
- ^ "Page 4396 | Supplement 46254, 2 April 1974 | London Gazette | The Gazette". www.thegazette.co.uk. Retrieved 14 February 2024.