Ann Hazel Spokes Symonds (10 November 1925 – 27 December 2019) was a British author and former
Lord Mayor of
Oxford
Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
.
Spokes was born in November 1925, the daughter of
Peter Spencer Spokes and Lilla Clayton. Her father founded the
Museum of Oxford
The Museum of Oxford (MOX) is a history museum in Oxford, England, covering the history of the City and its people. The museum includes both permanent and temporary displays featuring artefacts relating to Oxford's history from prehistoric time ...
in 1974. She was a writer on the history of Oxford.
She entered
St Anne's College, Oxford in 1944, where she read
Philosophy, Politics and Economics, obtaining her B.A. and
Master of Arts
A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Th ...
.
She was a trustee of the
Oxford Preservation Trust
The Oxford Preservation Trust was founded in 1927 to preserve the city of Oxford, England. The Trust seeks to enhance Oxford by encouraging thoughtful development and new design, while protecting historic buildings and green open spaces.
The T ...
, having first become a trustee in 1959. She served as
Lord Mayor of Oxford in 1976/77 and also as the Chairman of
Oxfordshire County Council between 1981 and 1983.
Spokes-Symonds chaired
Age Concern
Age Concern is the banner title used by a number of charitable organizations ( NGOs) specifically concerned with the needs and interests of all older people (defined as those over the age of 50) based chiefly in the four countries of the United Kin ...
England from 1983 to 1986. She made a donation towards a statue of
Alfred Russel Wallace which has been erected at the Natural History Museum.
In 1980 she married the United Nations official and historian
Richard Symonds (1918–2006) and was henceforth known as Ann Spokes Symonds.
She died in December 2019 at the age of 94.
Books
Spokes Symonds' books include:
* ''The Origins of Oxford Street Names'' (with Nigel Morgan).
* ''The Changing Faces of Iffley''.
* ''The Changing Faces of Wolvercote with Wytham and Godstow''.
* ''Also-Rans: The Injustice of History''.
* ''The Changing Faces of North Oxford''; Books I & II.
* ''Storks, Black Bags & Gooseberry Bushes''.
* ''The Changing Faces of Rose Hill''.
* ''The Changing Faces of Summertown and Cutteslowe''; Books I & II (with Christopher Nichols).
* ''Celebrating Age: An Anthology''.
* ''Follow Me: A Dog's View of the Gospel Story'' (with Richard Symonds).
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Spokes Symonds, Ann
1925 births
2019 deaths
Writers from Oxford
Alumni of St Anne's College, Oxford
Conservative Party (UK) parliamentary candidates
Mayors of Oxford
Historians of Oxfordshire
20th-century English writers
21st-century English writers
Charters Symonds family
Women mayors of places in England
Women councillors in England
Councillors in Oxfordshire