Caroline Selina Ganley,
CBE,
JP (
née
A birth name is the name of a person given upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name, or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth re ...
Blumfield; 16 September 1879 – 3 August 1966) was an
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ...
Labour and Co-operative Party politician.
Early life
Ganley was born on 16 September 1879 in
East Stonehouse
East Stonehouse was one of three towns that were amalgamated into modern-day Plymouth. West Stonehouse was a village that is within the current Mount Edgcumbe Country Park in Cornwall. It was destroyed by the French in 1350.
The terminology used ...
,
Devon
Devon ( , historically known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South West England. The most populous settlement in Devon is the city of Plymouth, followed by Devon's county town, the city of Exeter. Devo ...
, the daughter of a James Blumfield, a bombardier in the
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises t ...
, and Selina Mary Blumfield.
Political career
She became politically active in opposition to the
Boer War
The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the Sou ...
, declaring herself a
pacifist
Pacifism is the opposition or resistance to war, militarism (including conscription and mandatory military service) or violence. Pacifists generally reject theories of Just War. The word ''pacifism'' was coined by the French peace campai ...
, and joined the
Social Democratic Federation
The Social Democratic Federation (SDF) was established as Britain's first organised socialist political party by H. M. Hyndman, and had its first meeting on 7 June 1881. Those joining the SDF included William Morris, George Lansbury, James C ...
that year.
She actively supported
women's suffrage
Women's suffrage is the right of women to vote in elections. Beginning in the start of the 18th century, some people sought to change voting laws to allow women to vote. Liberal political parties would go on to grant women the right to vot ...
and helped set up what would become the
Women's Labour League
The Women's Labour League (WLL) was a pressure organisation, founded in London in 1906, to promote the political representation of women in parliament and local bodies. The idea was first suggested by Mary Macpherson, a linguist and journalist wh ...
branch in
Battersea
Battersea is a large district in south London, part of the London Borough of Wandsworth, England. It is centred southwest of Charing Cross and extends along the south bank of the River Thames. It includes the Battersea Park.
History
Batt ...
. She became involved in the British Committee of the International Congress for Peace and Freedom in 1914. A letter she wrote to the ''
Sunday Chronicle
The ''Sunday Chronicle'' was a newspaper in the United Kingdom, published from 1885 to 1955.
The newspaper was founded in Manchester by Edward Hulton in August 1885. He was known for his sporting coverage, already publishing the ''Sporting Chro ...
'' meant that the wives of servicemen received their allowances through the Post Office.
In 1919, Ganley was one of three women elected to Battersea Council.
Ganley was a school manager and governor, becoming a
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace (JP) is a judicial officer of a lower or '' puisne'' court, elected or appointed by means of a commission ( letters patent) to keep the peace. In past centuries the term commissioner of the peace was often used with the s ...
in 1920, one of London's first female
magistrate
The term magistrate is used in a variety of systems of governments and laws to refer to a civilian officer who administers the law. In ancient Rome, a '' magistratus'' was one of the highest ranking government officers, and possessed both judic ...
s after the
Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919
The Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom. It became law when it received Royal Assent on 23 December 1919.''Oliver & Boyd's new Edinburgh almanac and national repository for the year 1921''. p. 213 ...
came into force.
She joined the Labour and Co-operative Parties and served on
Battersea Council from 1919 to 1925, where she chaired the Health and Child Welfare Committee.
She later sat on
London County Council
London County Council (LCC) was the principal local government body for the County of London throughout its existence from 1889 to 1965, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today kn ...
(from 1925 to 29 and 1934 to 37), and was a member of the London County Education Committee. She unsuccessfully contested the
Paddington North seat at the
1935 general election.
At the
1945 general election, Ganley was elected as
Member of Parliament
A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members o ...
for
Battersea South. Her maiden speech dealt with national health care, and during her time in Parliament she helped to establish the
National Health Service
The National Health Service (NHS) is the umbrella term for the publicly funded healthcare systems of the United Kingdom (UK). Since 1948, they have been funded out of general taxation. There are three systems which are referred to using the " ...
.
She narrowly held the seat in
1950
Events January
* January 1 – The International Police Association (IPA) – the largest police organization in the world – is formed.
* January 5 – Sverdlovsk plane crash: ''Aeroflot'' Lisunov Li-2 crashes in a snowstorm. All 19 ...
but was defeated by
Ernest Partridge in
1951
Events
January
* January 4 – Korean War: Third Battle of Seoul – Chinese and North Korean forces capture Seoul for the second time (having lost the Second Battle of Seoul in September 1950).
* January 9 – The Government of the United ...
.
Ganley was elected a director of the
West London Co-operative Society in 1918 and served on the board of its successor, the
London Co-operative Society
The London Co-operative Society (LCS) was a consumer co-operative society in the United Kingdom.
History
The Society was formed in September 1920 by the amalgamation of the Stratford Co-operative Society and the Edmonton Co-operative Society, ...
for many years and as president from 1942 to 1946 as its first woman president.
She held national positions in the
Women's Co-operative Guild
The Co-operative Women's Guild was an auxiliary organisation of the co-operative movement in the United Kingdom which promoted women in co-operative structures and provided social and other services to its members.
History
The guild was founded ...
and was one of the speakers at its
diamond jubilee
A diamond jubilee celebrates the 60th anniversary of a significant event related to a person (e.g. accession to the throne or wedding, among others) or the 60th anniversary of an institution's founding. The term is also used for 75th anniver ...
celebrations at the
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London. One of the UK's most treasured and distinctive buildings, it is held in trust for the nation and managed by a registered charity which receives no govern ...
in 1943. She was appointed a
CBE
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations,
and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...
in 1953.
She returned to Battersea Council from 1953 to 1965. A Battersea Society
Blue Plaque
A blue plaque is a permanent sign installed in a public place in the United Kingdom and elsewhere to commemorate a link between that location and a famous person, event, or former building on the site, serving as a historical marker. The term i ...
commemorating her was unveiled in 2018 on the house she and her husband lived at in
Battersea
Battersea is a large district in south London, part of the London Borough of Wandsworth, England. It is centred southwest of Charing Cross and extends along the south bank of the River Thames. It includes the Battersea Park.
History
Batt ...
.
Personal life
Ganley married tailor's cutter James Ganley in July 1901, with whom she had two sons and one daughter.
References
From Kitchen Table to Conference Table: Caroline Selina Ganley Archive Awareness Month 2007; accessed 10 January 2009.
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ganley, Caroline
1879 births
1966 deaths
Politicians from Plymouth, Devon
Members of London County Council
Councillors in the London Borough of Wandsworth
Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
Labour Co-operative MPs for English constituencies
Female members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for English constituencies
UK MPs 1945–1950
UK MPs 1950–1951
Members of Battersea Metropolitan Borough Council
Place of death missing
English justices of the peace
20th-century British women politicians
Women councillors in England
Co-operative Women's Guild