Alice Arnold (1881–1955) was a

socialist Socialism is a left-wing economic philosophy and movement encompassing a range of economic systems characterized by the dominance of social ownership of the means of production as opposed to private ownership. As a term, it describes the e ...

and

trade unionist A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and Employee ben ...

Coventry Coventry ( or ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. It is on the River Sherbourne. Coventry has been a large settlement for centuries, although it was not founded and given its ...

. She was one of the first women on the

city council A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, rural counc ...

, serving for 36 years, and became the first female

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...

of the city in 1937. Arnold was born on 19 January 1881 in the Coventry Workhouse to Caroline and Samuel Arnold; her mother and three siblings had been admitted to the workhouse on 23 November 1880 and were discharged on 19 February 1882. Arnold was employed in factories from the age of eleven. Her experiences made her want to improve life for people in her community and she became an organiser of the Worker's Union. In 1919 she was elected as an independent Labour councillor in Coventry. She campaigned for better living conditions for those living in the city. In October 1938 she led a protest for 'peace and plenty' that culminated in a delegation of over 100 people delivering a petition signed by 60, 000 Coventry citizens (two-thirds of the city's electorate) to the Home Office. The aim of the petition was to promote peace and abolish poverty.

References

People from Coventry 1881 births 1955 deaths Labour Party (UK) mayors 20th-century British women politicians Trade unionists from Warwickshire 20th-century British politicians Mayors of Coventry {{socialism-stub