About this Item
First edition, first printing. With a typed letter, signed by the author. Publisher's original cream cloth with red titles to the spine, in dustwrapper. A very good copy, the binding square and firm, the cloth somewhat spotted to the spine and darkened at the edges, notably the upper board lower right corner and the tail of the spine. The contents, with spotting to the endpapers and closed text block edge are otherwise clean throughout and without inscriptions or stamps. are clean throughout, without inscriptions or stamps. A letter signed by the author, and a newspaper clipping (the author's obituary), is loosely laid in. Complete with the heavily worn and toned dustwrapper that has loss to approximately half of the spine, several chips to the upper panel edges and a split the length of the rear spine fold. Not price clipped (8/6 net on front flap). Scarce The autobiography of Scottish politician Janet "Jennie" Lee (b. 1904 - d. 1988), Baroness Lee of Asheridge, Labour Member of the UK Parliament from by-election in 1929 - 1931 (for North Lanarkshire) and again from 1945 - 1970 (for Cannock). The laid in letter, dated "23rd February 1943" reads "Dear Mr. Clarke, / Thanks ever so much for finding your way to / Central Bristol and doing your best to aid us. Having got / Tom Driberg into Parliament I know you will now do your / best to keep him there, / Yours sincerely, / Jennie Lee". Jennie Lee's initial by-election victory in 1929 was a pivotal moment for women's representation in government, as she was not only the first woman to represent a Scottish seat in the House of Commons, but also the youngest female member of the House of Commons. In the years following the publication of this autobiography, Lee notably became one of the founders of the Open University, along with the late Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson. Lee began initial planning for the Open University while she was in office as the Minister of State for Education in 1965 and its later groundbreaking success was ultimately attributed for her tenacity and determination to see the plans through, despite widespread scepticism and opposition within and external to the Labour Party. A play of the same name, written by Matthew Wrights in honour of Lee's life and accomplishments was premiered in her birthplace of Lochgelly to mark what would have been her 120th birthday on 3 November 2024, before moving to the historic Carnegie Hall in Dunfermline. Further details and images for any of the items listed are available on request. Lucius Books welcomes direct contact with our customers.
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