Peggy Jay
Encyclopedia
Margaret Christian "Peggy" Garnett Jay (4 January 1913 – 21 January 2008) was an English
Labour councillor
.
As a young girl, Peggy Garnett attended St Paul's Girls' School
in London, where she befriended Shiela Grant Duff
. In 1931, she went up to Somerville College, Oxford
, but she left two years later to marry Douglas Jay
. She led a long political career with the British Labour Party
and served as a London County Council
lor, recruited by Herbert Morrison
, representing Hackney
then Battersea
.
She was the last of the "Hampstead middle-class Labour grandes dames" whom Morrison groomed to take over the London County Council in 1934. She was elected to the new Greater London Council
before losing her seat in 1967.
Douglas Jay
in 1933, aged 20. They had four children, but the marriage ended in divorce.
A son, Peter Jay
, is a leading economist and a former British Ambassador to the United States and a son-in-law is Rupert Pennant-Rea
, a former deputy Governor of the Bank of England
.
Jay's niece, Virginia Bottomley
, a Conservative, served in the cabinets of Margaret Thatcher
and John Major
.
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 councillor
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...
.
As a young girl, Peggy Garnett attended St Paul's Girls' School
St Paul's Girls' School
St Paul's Girls' School is a senior independent school, located in Brook Green, Hammersmith, in West London, England.-History:In 1904 a new day school for girls was established by the trustees of the Dean Colet Foundation , which had run St Paul's School for boys since the sixteenth century...
in London, where she befriended Shiela Grant Duff
Shiela Grant Duff
Shiela Grant Duff was a British author and foreign correspondent.-Early years:The youngest daughter of Adrian Grant Duff and The Hon.Ursula Lubbock, Shiela Grant Duff was born in the Grosvenor Square home of her maternal grandfather, Sir John Lubbock on Whit Sunday...
. In 1931, she went up to Somerville College, Oxford
Somerville College, Oxford
Somerville College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England, and was one of the first women's colleges to be founded there...
, but she left two years later to marry Douglas Jay
Douglas Jay, Baron Jay
Douglas Patrick Thomas Jay, Baron Jay, PC was a British Labour Party politician.Educated at Winchester College and New College, Oxford, Jay became a Fellow of All Souls between 1930 and 1937...
. She led a long political career with the British Labour Party
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 served as a 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...
lor, recruited by Herbert Morrison
Herbert Morrison
Herbert Stanley Morrison, Baron Morrison of Lambeth, CH, PC was a British Labour politician; he held a various number of senior positions in the Cabinet, including Home Secretary, Foreign Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister.-Early life:Morrison was the son of a police constable and was born in...
, representing Hackney
Metropolitan Borough of Hackney
The Metropolitan Borough of Hackney was a Metropolitan borough of the County of London from 1900 to 1965. Its area became part of the London Borough of Hackney.-Formation and boundaries:...
then 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 was the last of the "Hampstead middle-class Labour grandes dames" whom Morrison groomed to take over the London County Council in 1934. She was elected to the new Greater London Council
Greater London Council
The Greater London Council was the top-tier local government administrative body for Greater London from 1965 to 1986. It replaced the earlier London County Council which had covered a much smaller area...
before losing her seat in 1967.
Family
She married politicianPolitician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
Douglas Jay
Douglas Jay, Baron Jay
Douglas Patrick Thomas Jay, Baron Jay, PC was a British Labour Party politician.Educated at Winchester College and New College, Oxford, Jay became a Fellow of All Souls between 1930 and 1937...
in 1933, aged 20. They had four children, but the marriage ended in divorce.
A son, Peter Jay
Peter Jay
Peter Jay is a British economist, broadcaster and diplomat.-Background:Peter Jay is the son of Douglas and Peggy Jay, both of whom were Labour Party politicians...
, is a leading economist and a former British Ambassador to the United States and a son-in-law is Rupert Pennant-Rea
Rupert Pennant-Rea
Rupert Lascelles Pennant-Rea is a British businessman, journalist, and former Deputy Governor of the Bank of England. The son of Peter and Pauline Pennant-Rea, he was educated at the Peterhouse School, an Anglican church boarding school near Marandellas, Rhodesia , before attending Trinity...
, a former deputy Governor of the Bank of England
Governor of the Bank of England
The Governor of the Bank of England is the most senior position in the Bank of England. It is nominally a civil service post, but the appointment tends to be from within the Bank, with the incumbent grooming his or her successor...
.
Jay's niece, Virginia Bottomley
Virginia Bottomley
Virginia Bottomley, Baroness Bottomley of Nettlestone, PC, DL is a British Conservative Party politician. She was a Member of Parliament in the House of Commons from 1984 to 2005. She was raised to the peerage in 2005...
, a Conservative, served in the cabinets of Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
and John Major
John Major
Sir John Major, is a British Conservative politician, who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1990–1997...
.