Vera Joan Maynard (5 July 1921 – 27 March 1998) 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 ide ...

Labour Labour or labor may refer to: * Childbirth, the delivery of a baby * Labour (human activity), or work ** Manual labour, physical work ** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer ** Organized labour and the labour ...

politician and

trade union 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 benefits ( ...

ist.

Biography

Maynard was born in

Easingwold Easingwold is a market town, electoral ward and civil parish in the Hambleton District in North Yorkshire, England. Historically, part of the North Riding of Yorkshire, it had a population of 4,233 at the 2001 census, increasing to 4,627 at the ...

, North Yorkshire on 5 July 1921. Dubbed "Stalin's Granny" owing to her left-wing views, Maynard was a leading activist in the

National Union of Agricultural Workers The National Union of Agricultural and Allied Workers (NUAW) was a trade union in the United Kingdom which existed between 1906 and 1982. It represented farmworkers. History The union was established as the Eastern Counties Agricultural Labou ...

becoming vice-president of the union and being narrowly beaten to its presidency. She joined the Labour Party in 1946 and served as a councillor on the

North Riding The North Riding of Yorkshire is a subdivision of Yorkshire, England, alongside York, the East Riding and West Riding. The riding's highest point is at Mickle Fell with 2,585 ft (788 metres). From the Restoration it was used as a ...

County Council A county council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a county. This term has slightly different meanings in different countries. Ireland The county councils created under British rule in 1899 continue to exist in Irela ...

. She was elected to Labour's

National Executive Committee National Executive Committee is the name of a leadership body in several organizations, mostly political parties: * National Executive Committee of the African National Congress, in South Africa * Australian Labor Party National Executive * Nationa ...

1972–82 and 1983–87, and was Vice-Chair of the Labour Party 1980–81. She was appointed 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 sa ...

Thirsk Thirsk is a market town and civil parish in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England known for its racecourse; quirky yarnbomber displays, and depiction as local author James Herriot's fictional Darrowby. History Archeological fin ...

in 1950. Having acted as Labour agent in

North Yorkshire North Yorkshire is the largest ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county (lieutenancy area) in England, covering an area of . Around 40% of the county is covered by National parks of the United Kingdom, national parks, including most of ...

, Maynard was elected in 1974 as MP for

Sheffield Brightside Sheffield, Brightside was a Borough constituency, parliamentary constituency in the Sheffield, City of Sheffield. Created for the 1885 United Kingdom general election, 1885 general election, and replaced at the 2010 United Kingdom general elect ...

and held the seat until she retired in 1987. Throughout her political career Maynard advocated policies on the left of the Labour Party and chaired the left-wing

Campaign Group The Socialist Campaign Group, officially the Socialist Campaign Group of Labour MPs and also known as the Campaign Group, is a left-wing, democratic socialist grouping of the Labour Party's Members of Parliament in the House of Commons of the ...

. She served on the

Agriculture Select Committee Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people to ...

1975–87. She played a leading role in securing the passage of the

Rent (Agriculture) Act 1976 Rent may refer to: Economics *Renting, an agreement where a payment is made for the temporary use of a good, service or property *Economic rent, any payment in excess of the cost of production *Rent-seeking, attempting to increase one's share of e ...

which put an end to the iniquitous tied cottage system that caused so much misery to rural workers and their families .

Jeremy Corbyn Jeremy Bernard Corbyn (; born 26 May 1949) is a British politician who served as Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Labour Party from 2015 to 2020. On the political left of the Labour Party, Corbyn describes himself as a socialist ...

MP, Leader of the Labour Party from 2015 to 2020, said that Maynard became a 'great friend' to him when he first joined the House of Commons in 1983. He recounted that Maynard had told him that "If both front benches are agreed, it’s probably bad news for the workers. And if a minister ever gets up and says ‘we’re going to have to take some tough choices and some tough decisions,’ it's a disaster for the working class. Just bear that in mind and you'll not go far wrong." Maynard died of cancer in Sowerby, North Yorkshire on 27 March 1998, the same day as fellow former MP,

Joan Lestor Joan Lestor, Baroness Lestor of Eccles (13 November 1931 – 27 March 1998) was a British Labour politician. Early life Lestor was educated at Blaenavon Secondary School, Monmouth; William Morris High School, Walthamstow and the University of ...

. Her remains are buried alongside her immediate family at

Thornton-le-Street Thornton-le-Street is a village and parochial and civil parish in the Hambleton District of North Yorkshire, England. It is part of the civil parish of Thornton-le-Moor and Thornton-le-Street for District purposes. As the population remained le ...

Bibliography

*Mason-O'Connor, Kristine (2003). ''Joan Maynard: A Passionate Socialist.'' Politico's Publishing. *Routledge, Paul (2003). ''Bumper Book of British Lefties.'' Politico's Publishing.

References

External links

* 1921 births 1998 deaths Female members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for English constituencies Members of North Riding County Council Labour Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies National Union of Agricultural and Allied Workers-sponsored MPs UK MPs 1974–1979 UK MPs 1979–1983 UK MPs 1983–1987 20th-century British women politicians 20th-century English women 20th-century English people Women councillors in England {{England-Labour-UK-MP-stub