Jean Stead
Encyclopedia
Jean Stead is a reporter, national news editor for The Guardian
, and labour historian.
, working as a reporter for 10 years in Leeds
and London
. In 1963, she joined The Guardian
as a reporter, specialising in writing about housing and the homeless, immigration
and race relations, and occasionally a columnist on the women's page. In 1968, she became a deputy to John Cole, then succeeded him as news editor from 1970-1979. She was later appointed Special Projects Editor, supervising investigative reporting, book serialisation, and specialist columns (e.g., legal column and motorcycling column). She became known for her international correspondence covering the motorcycle Grand Prix
in Europe.
Stead also wrote extensively about the nuclear disarmament movement in Europe, particularly in Germany, at the height of the Cold War. She was threatened with arrest, and her exit visa was taken from her after she interviewed dissident writers under house arrest in the Soviet Union, while covering a Scandinavian women's peace march across the Soviet Union. Stead wrote the first articles about the women's protest
against the siting of American Cruise missiles at Greenham Common, and its significance for feminism.
From 1983-88 she was the Guardians Scotland correspondent, covering the national miners' strike
and at the Ravenscraig steelworks
and the Upper Clyde Shipbuilders, as well as Scottish politics and the nationalist movement. From this work she published in 1986 a book, Never the Same Again, the story of women in the miners' strike.
After retirement in 1988, she later returned for a short time as archaeology correspondent after archaeologists protested at the burial of the Rose Theatre
site and the original Shakespeare Globe Theatre. She also wrote a number of articles about major discoveries nationally and internationally, including at the site of the Berlin Wall. Stead edited the current affairs journal The New Reporter, from 1994/95, designed by her husband John Bourne.
In 2006 she was one of the organisers of a 25th anniversary exhibition of the Greenham Common women's protest.
Stead is now the UK co-ordinator for Grandmothers for Peace International, based in Elk Grove, California, near Sacramento, which opposes nuclear weapons and led protests against the Iraq war. She served recently as an adviser to UKLAW, the committee set up to help Afghan women by Joan Ruddock
M.P She is also a member of organisations opposing cruelty in factory farming.
Stead has been married for 50 years to John Bourne
, who joined the Yorkshire Post
after being deputy editor of the University newspaper Varsity, and was later a reporter on The Guardian
, before joining the Financial Times
, where he was Parliamentary Lobby Editor. They have two children and three grandchildren and live in London and Cornwall.
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, and labour historian.
Biography
Jean Stead was trained as a reporter on the Yorkshire PostYorkshire Post
The Yorkshire Post is a daily broadsheet newspaper, published in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England by Yorkshire Post Newspapers, a company owned by Johnston Press...
, working as a reporter for 10 years in Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. In 1963, she joined The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
as a reporter, specialising in writing about housing and the homeless, immigration
Immigration
Immigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
and race relations, and occasionally a columnist on the women's page. In 1968, she became a deputy to John Cole, then succeeded him as news editor from 1970-1979. She was later appointed Special Projects Editor, supervising investigative reporting, book serialisation, and specialist columns (e.g., legal column and motorcycling column). She became known for her international correspondence covering the motorcycle Grand Prix
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix is the premier championship of motorcycle road racing currently divided into three distinct classes: 125cc, Moto2 and MotoGP. The 125cc class uses a two-stroke engine while Moto2 and MotoGP use four-stroke engines. In 2010 the 250cc two-stroke was replaced...
in Europe.
Stead also wrote extensively about the nuclear disarmament movement in Europe, particularly in Germany, at the height of the Cold War. She was threatened with arrest, and her exit visa was taken from her after she interviewed dissident writers under house arrest in the Soviet Union, while covering a Scandinavian women's peace march across the Soviet Union. Stead wrote the first articles about the women's protest
Greenham Common Women's Peace Camp
Greenham Common Women's Peace Camp was a peace camp established to protest at nuclear weapons being sited at RAF Greenham Common in Berkshire, England. The camp began in September 1981 after a Welsh group, Women for Life on Earth, arrived at Greenham to protest against the decision of the British...
against the siting of American Cruise missiles at Greenham Common, and its significance for feminism.
From 1983-88 she was the Guardians Scotland correspondent, covering the national miners' strike
UK miners' strike (1984–1985)
The UK miners' strike was a major industrial action affecting the British coal industry. It was a defining moment in British industrial relations, and its defeat significantly weakened the British trades union movement...
and at the Ravenscraig steelworks
Ravenscraig steelworks
The Ravenscraig steelworks, operated by Colvilles and latterly by British Steel, consisted of an integrated iron and steel works and a hot strip steel mill. They were located in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire, Scotland....
and the Upper Clyde Shipbuilders, as well as Scottish politics and the nationalist movement. From this work she published in 1986 a book, Never the Same Again, the story of women in the miners' strike.
After retirement in 1988, she later returned for a short time as archaeology correspondent after archaeologists protested at the burial of the Rose Theatre
The Rose (theatre)
The Rose was an Elizabethan theatre. It was the fourth of the public theatres to be built, after The Theatre , the Curtain , and the theatre at Newington Butts The Rose was an Elizabethan theatre. It was the fourth of the public theatres to be built, after The Theatre (1576), the Curtain (1577),...
site and the original Shakespeare Globe Theatre. She also wrote a number of articles about major discoveries nationally and internationally, including at the site of the Berlin Wall. Stead edited the current affairs journal The New Reporter, from 1994/95, designed by her husband John Bourne.
In 2006 she was one of the organisers of a 25th anniversary exhibition of the Greenham Common women's protest.
Stead is now the UK co-ordinator for Grandmothers for Peace International, based in Elk Grove, California, near Sacramento, which opposes nuclear weapons and led protests against the Iraq war. She served recently as an adviser to UKLAW, the committee set up to help Afghan women by Joan Ruddock
Joan Ruddock
Joan Mary Ruddock is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Lewisham Deptford since 1987. She is a feminist and is the wife of Frank Doran, the Labour MP for Aberdeen North...
M.P She is also a member of organisations opposing cruelty in factory farming.
Personal biography
Stead was born in Huddersfield, Yorkshire, educated privately, and later attended Hunmanby Hall School for Girls.Stead has been married for 50 years to John Bourne
John Bourne
John Bourne is a British artist and painter, living and working in Wales, and a member of the Stuckists art movement. He founded the Wrexham Stuckists group in 2001 and has been exhibited in the group's shows since then, including The Stuckists Punk Victorian. He has also taken part in Stuckist...
, who joined the Yorkshire Post
Yorkshire Post
The Yorkshire Post is a daily broadsheet newspaper, published in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England by Yorkshire Post Newspapers, a company owned by Johnston Press...
after being deputy editor of the University newspaper Varsity, and was later a reporter on The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, before joining the Financial Times
Financial Times
The Financial Times is an international business newspaper. It is a morning daily newspaper published in London and printed in 24 cities around the world. Its primary rival is the Wall Street Journal, published in New York City....
, where he was Parliamentary Lobby Editor. They have two children and three grandchildren and live in London and Cornwall.