Caroline Ganley
Encyclopedia
Caroline Selina Ganley, née Blumfield, CBE
, JP (16 September 1879 – 3 August 1966) was an English
Labour
and Co-operative
politician.
Ganley was born in Plymouth
, the daughter of a tailor. She became politically active in 1906 in opposition to the Boer War
, and joined the Social Democratic Federation
that year. She actively supported women's suffrage
and helped set up what would become the Women's Labour League branch in Battersea
. She became involved in the British Committee of the International Congress for Peace and Freedom in 1914.
Ganley was a school manager and governor, becoming a Justice of the Peace
(JP) in 1920, one of London's first female magistrate
s. She joined the Labour and Co-operative Parties and served on Battersea Council
(1919–25, 1953–65) and the London County Council
(1925–29 and 1934–37), and was a member of the London County Education Committee. She contested the Paddington North
seat at the 1935 general election
.
At the 1945 general election
, Ganley was elected as Member of Parliament
for Battersea South
. She narrowly held the seat in 1950
but was defeated by Ernest Partridge
in 1951
.
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
for many years and as President 1942-46, its first woman president. She held national positions in the Women's Co-operative Guild
and was one of the speakers at its diamond jubilee
celebrations at the Royal Albert Hall
in 1943.
She was awarded the CBE in 1953.
CBE
CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
, JP (16 September 1879 – 3 August 1966) was an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
and Co-operative
Co-operative Party
The Co-operative Party is a centre-left political party in the United Kingdom committed to supporting and representing co-operative principles. The party does not put up separate candidates for any UK election itself. Instead, Co-operative candidates stand jointly with the Labour Party as "Labour...
politician.
Ganley was born in Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
, the daughter of a tailor. She became politically active in 1906 in opposition to the Boer War
Boer War
The Boer Wars were two wars fought between the British Empire and the two independent Boer republics, the Oranje Vrijstaat and the Republiek van Transvaal ....
, and joined the Social Democratic Federation
Social Democratic Federation
The Social Democratic Federation was established as Britain's first organised socialist political party by H. M. Hyndman, and had its first meeting on June 7, 1881. Those joining the SDF included William Morris, George Lansbury and Eleanor Marx. However, Friedrich Engels, Karl Marx's long-term...
that year. She actively supported women's suffrage
Women's suffrage
Women's suffrage or woman suffrage is the right of women to vote and to run for office. The expression is also used for the economic and political reform movement aimed at extending these rights to women and without any restrictions or qualifications such as property ownership, payment of tax, or...
and helped set up what would become the Women's Labour League branch in Battersea
Battersea
Battersea is an area of the London Borough of Wandsworth, England. It is an inner-city district of South London, situated on the south side of the River Thames, 2.9 miles south-west of Charing Cross. Battersea spans from Fairfield in the west to Queenstown in the east...
. She became involved in the British Committee of the International Congress for Peace and Freedom in 1914.
Ganley was a school manager and governor, becoming a Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
(JP) in 1920, one of London's first female magistrate
Magistrate
A magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
s. She joined the Labour and Co-operative Parties and served on Battersea Council
Metropolitan Borough of Battersea
Battersea was a civil parish and metropolitan borough in the County of London, England. In 1965 the borough was abolished and its area combined with parts of the Metropolitan Borough of Wandsworth to form the London Borough of Wandsworth...
(1919–25, 1953–65) and the London County Council
London County Council
London County Council was the principal local government body for the County of London, throughout its 1889–1965 existence, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today known as Inner London and was replaced by the Greater London Council...
(1925–29 and 1934–37), and was a member of the London County Education Committee. She contested the Paddington North
Paddington North (UK Parliament constituency)
Paddington North was a borough constituency in the Metropolitan Borough of Paddington in London which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post voting system...
seat at the 1935 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1935
The United Kingdom general election held on 14 November 1935 resulted in a large, though reduced, majority for the National Government now led by Conservative Stanley Baldwin. The greatest number of MPs, as before, were Conservative, while the National Liberal vote held steady...
.
At the 1945 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1945
The United Kingdom general election of 1945 was a general election held on 5 July 1945, with polls in some constituencies delayed until 12 July and in Nelson and Colne until 19 July, due to local wakes weeks. The results were counted and declared on 26 July, due in part to the time it took to...
, Ganley was elected as Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Battersea South
Battersea South (UK Parliament constituency)
Battersea South was a parliamentary constituency, originally in the County of London and later in Greater London. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first-past-the-post voting system.It was created for the 1918...
. She narrowly held the seat in 1950
United Kingdom general election, 1950
The 1950 United Kingdom general election was the first general election ever after a full term of a Labour government. Despite polling over one and a half million votes more than the Conservatives, the election, held on 23 February 1950 resulted in Labour receiving a slim majority of just five...
but was defeated by Ernest Partridge
Ernest Partridge
Ernest Partridge was a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom.At the 1951 general election he was elected Member of Parliament for the marginal Battersea South constituency, gaining the seat from Labour incumbent Caroline Ganley...
in 1951
United Kingdom general election, 1951
The 1951 United Kingdom general election was held eighteen months after the 1950 general election, which the Labour Party had won with a slim majority of just five seats...
.
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
London Co-operative Society
The London Co-operative Society was a consumer co-operative society in the United Kingdom.The Society was formed in September 1920 by the amalgamation of the Stratford Co-operative Society and the Edmonton Co-operative Society, two of the largest societies in the London Metropolitan area...
for many years and as President 1942-46, its first woman president. She held national positions in the Women's Co-operative Guild
Women's Co-operative Guild
The Co-operative Women's Guild is an auxiliary organisation of the co-operative movement in the United Kingdom which promotes women in co-operative structures and provides social and other services to its members....
and was one of the speakers at its diamond jubilee
Diamond Jubilee
A Diamond Jubilee is a celebration held to mark a 60th anniversary in the case of a person or a 75th anniversary in the case of an event.- Thailand :...
celebrations at the Royal Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
in 1943.
She was awarded the CBE in 1953.