HENDERSON, Jean, 1900-1997, barrister and Liberal candidate

Scope and Content

Papers of Jean Henderson, 1916-1993, notably material concerning her work as the prospective Liberal parliamentary candidate for St Albans, 1936-1942, including correspondence, circulars, speech notes and flyers; material relating to general election campaigns in which Henderson stood as the Liberal candidate for, successively, Barnet, Lincoln, and Luton, 1945, and 1949-1959, mainly comprising correspondence, speech notes, election ephemera and press cuttings; notes and press cuttings, [1930]-1979, covering a range of political issues and compiled by Henderson for use in speeches; papers relating to the Women's Liberal Federation, 1936-1975; papers relating to the Hendon Liberal Party, [1930]-1989, including material on local elections; Liberal party literature, 1927-1959, including pamphlets on political subjects and material concerning the Beveridge Report; papers of the Gladstone Benevolent Fund for Liberal Agents, 1972-1988, mainly comprising agendas and minutes; Liberal Party manifestos and circulars dealing with the Liberal alliance with the Democrats, 1988-1992, and Henderson's notes on the subject; material relating to the legal career of Jean Henderson, [1938-1993], including notebooks, speech notes, legal papers, fee books and correspondence.

Administrative / Biographical History

Born 1900; educated at Mount School in York, and Bedford College, University of London, where she graduated in modern languages; prospective parliamentary candidate for St Albans, 1936-1941; admitted to the Inner Temple, 1941, and called to the Bar, 1943; practised as a barrister in London and on the Midland Circuit; during World war Two, lectured on current events to troops under the War Office Scheme for Education; stood as Liberal candidate for Barnet, 1945, Lincoln, 1950, and Luton, 1955; prospective parliamentary candidate for Watford, 1953; contested Hendon Borough Council elections (Garden Suburb Ward), 1949 and 1953; Honorary Secretary, Women's Liberal Federation, [1941-1949]; served on the Executive of the Liberal Candidates Association; President, Hampstead Garden Suburb Ward Liberal Association; independent member of five Industrial Wages Councils; Head of Chambers, 5 Pump Court, Temple, [1970-1979]; Member, Management Board, Gladstone Benevolent Fund for Liberal Agents, [1973-1988]; died 1997.

Arrangement

Mainly in files created by Henderson according to subject.

Access Information

Open.

Acquisition Information

Given by the family in 1996, 1998, and 1999. Papers relating to her legal career were transferred from the Inner Temple Archives in March 1999.

Other Finding Aids

Temporary handlist and on-line catalogue available.

Archivist's Note

British Library of Political and Economic Science Archives catalogue. Compiled by Sarah Aitchison as part of the RSLP AIM25 project.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright retained by the donor and their heirs.