Jamesina Anderson (née McKenna) (1885–1977) was a Scottish politician, socialist, and advocate of the rights of working-class people, especially the elderly and children.

Early life and education

Jamesina McKenna was born in

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...

, Scotland in December 1885. Her father, a cab driver, had died three months before her birth. Her mother remarried in 1888. Jamesina left school aged 13–14 and was a hand-loom

weaver Weaver or Weavers may refer to: Activities * A person who engages in weaving fabric Animals * Various birds of the family Ploceidae * Crevice weaver spider family * Orb-weaver spider family * Weever (or weever-fish) Arts and entertainment ...

and

milliner Hat-making or millinery is the design, manufacture and sale of hats and other headwear. A person engaged in this trade is called a milliner or hatter. Historically, milliners, typically women shopkeepers, produced or imported an inventory of g ...

until 1906 when she married John Anderson, an iron-milling machinist and a foreman at Singer's sewing machine factory in

Clydebank Clydebank ( gd, Bruach Chluaidh) is a town in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland. Situated on the north bank of the River Clyde, it borders the village of Old Kilpatrick (with Bowling, West Dunbartonshire, Bowling and Milton, West Dunbartonshire, Mil ...

. They had eight children, of whom six survived her. They lived in Maryhill, Glasgow.

Welfare and Workers' Rights

She was a founding member of the Maryhill Ward Committee in 1920 and was elected several times as chair, until it was disbanded following local government reconstruction in 1977. She had a particular interest in the welfare of the elderly, organising fund-raising and holiday events for older people during her working life, and after she retired from the council.

Political career

She was elected to

Glasgow Town Council Glasgow City Council is the Local government in Scotland, local government authority for the Glasgow, City of Glasgow, Scotland. It was created in 1996 under the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994, largely with the boundaries of the post ...

as a Labour Party Councillor for Maryhill in 1945, and represented Maryhill Ward 18 from 1945 to 1962. She was elected as

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 judici ...

in 1947, was a Baillie from 1947 to 1951, and served as a Police Court Judge for the burgh of Maryhill from 1951. On the council, she served on a variety of standing committees and was convenor of the Children's Committee. She was also on the sub-committee for Boarding-Out, in which role she travelled to check on children who had been boarded-out to be looked after

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Anderson, Jamesina Scottish Labour councillors 1885 births 1977 deaths People from Maryhill Women councillors in Glasgow