Penelope Jessel

Dame Penelope Jessel DBE (2 January 1920 – 2 December 1996), was a British Liberal Party politician.

Penelope Jessel

Background

She was born Penelope Blackwell, a daughter of publisher Sir Basil Blackwell and Marion Christine Soans. She was educated at Dragon School, Oxford, St Leonards School, St Andrews, Fife, Somerville College, Oxford where she received a Master of Arts and the London School of Economics.[1] In 1940 she married journalist Robert George Jessel. They had two sons, journalists David Jessel and Stephen Jessel. Her husband died in 1954. She was made a Dame for political services as part of the 1987 New Year Honours.[2]

Professional career

From 1940 to 1941 Jessel worked at Oxford House, London. She enlisted into the Auxiliary Territorial Service, serving from 1941 to 1943. She was a teacher at William Temple College from 1956 to 1962. In 1965 she had published Owen of Uppingham. She worked as a lecturer at Plater College, in Oxford from 1968 to 1984.[3]

Political career

Jessel was Liberal candidate for the Hall Green division of Birmingham at the 1964 General Election. She also fought the 1965 Birmingham Hall Green by-election. She was Liberal candidate for the Banbury division of Oxfordshire at the 1966 General Election. She was Liberal candidate for the Petersfield division of Hampshire at the 1970 General Election. She was Liberal candidate for the Wellingborough division of Northamptonshire at both 1974 General Elections. She did not stand for parliament again.[4] She was President of the Women's Liberal Federation from 1970 to 1972. She was President of the Oxford Civic Society. She was Convenor of Trustees, for the John Stuart Mill Institute. She worked as International Officer, for the Liberal Party from 1985 to 1988.[5]

Electoral record
General Election 1964: Birmingham, Hall Green[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Aubrey Jones 23,879 52.5
Labour GS Rea 14,477 31.8
Liberal Penelope Jessel 7,113 15.6
Majority 9,402 20.7
Turnout 75.8
Conservative hold Swing
1965 Birmingham Hall Green by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Reginald Eyre 17,130 54.8 +2.3
Labour David Mumford 8,980 28.8 -3.0
Liberal Penelope Jessel 5,122 16.4 +0.8
Majority 8,150
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1966: Banbury
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Harry Neil Marten 28,932 47.53
Labour David Wright Young 24,529 40.30
Liberal Penelope Jessel 7,407 12.17
Majority 4,403 7.23
Turnout 81.95
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1970: Petersfield
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Joan Mary Quennell 30,414 60.50
Labour Kelvin Horrocks 10,307 20.50
Liberal Penelope Jessel 7,783 15.48
Independent Michael Digby 1,766 3.51
Majority 20,107 40.00
Turnout 72.12
Conservative hold Swing
General Election Feb 1974: Wellingborough
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sir Peter Fry 29,099 40.5 -11.7
Labour J.H. Mann 26,829 37.3 -10.5
Liberal Penelope Jessel 15,049 20.9 +20.9
Ind. Conservative D.T. James 897 1.2 +1.2
Majority 2,720 3.1 -1.3
Turnout 84,562 85.00 +19570
Conservative hold Swing -16.3 (to Lib)
General Election Oct 1974: Wellingborough
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sir Peter Fry 29,078 42.8 +2.3
Labour J H Mann 27,320 40.2 +2.9
Liberal Penelope Jessel 11,500 17.0 -3.9
Majority 1,758 2.6 -0.5
Turnout 85,288 79.61 +726
Conservative hold Swing +3.1 (from Lib)

References
  1. The Times House of Commons 1970
  2. ‘JESSEL, Dame Penelope’, Who Was Who, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2015; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2014 ; online edn, April 2014 accessed 20 February 2015
  3. ‘JESSEL, Dame Penelope’, Who Was Who, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2015; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2014 ; online edn, April 2014 accessed 20 February 2015
  4. British parliamentary election results 1974–1983, Craig, F.W.S.
  5. ‘JESSEL, Dame Penelope’, Who Was Who, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2015; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2014 ; online edn, April 2014 accessed 20 Feb 2015
  6. "UK General Election results October 1964". Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources. Politics Resources. 15 October 1964. Archived from the original on 20 September 2011. Retrieved 27 December 2012.
  • Obituary, The Independent. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
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