Mary Barbour
Mary Barbour first became politically active in the Kinning Park Co-operative Guild, later joining the Independent Labour Party and the Socialist Sunday School movement. Her political activism began in earnest during the Glasgow rent strike of 1915, when she was actively involved in organising tenant committees and in organising local women to drive out sheriff's officers and resist evictions. In 1920 she stood as the Labour candidate for Fairfield ward in Govan and was duly elected to Glasgow Town Council as their first Labour woman councillor. During her career as a councillor, between 1920 and 1931, she worked tirelessly on behalf of the working class of her constituency, serving on eight committees covering the provision of health and welfare services for Glasgow's working classes. After retiring from council work in 1931, she continued similar activities, and in later years helped to set up organised seaside outings for the children of poor families in Glasgow.
Article: Mary Barbour (1875-1958) by Michael Byers, 2002
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Combined election address of three Labour candidates for the Govan Fairfield ward in the Glasgow municipal elections of 1920: Emanuel Shinwell, Tom Kerr and Mary Barbour. |
| Portrait photograph of Mary Barbour, rent strike activist and Glasgow city councillor. |
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