Margot Heinemann
Encyclopedia
Margot Claire Heinemann was a British
Marxist writer, drama scholar, and leading member of the Communist Party of Great Britain
(CPGB).
She joined the CPGB in 1934, because of its active opposition to the British Union of Fascists
. She was the lover of John Cornford
, while a student at the University of Cambridge
. The historian Eric Hobsbawm
, there also at the time, wrote 'she probably had more influence on me than any other person I have known.'
She was educated at Roedean School
and at King Alfred School
in London, and read English at Newnham College, Cambridge
from 1931 gaining a BA with first class honours. After Cambridge she taught 14-year-old girls at Cadbury's Continuation School in Bourneville
on day release from the chocolate factory. In the CPGB she worked in the Labour Research Department
from 1937.
She stood as the communist candidate for Vauxhall
Constituency in the 1950 General Election
.
In 1959 she resumed teaching at Camden School for Girls
and then Goldsmith's College from 1965-77. In 1976 she was made a Fellow
of New Hall, Cambridge
. She was still teaching at New Hall up to 1989 and stayed with the CPGB until it was dissolved.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Marxist writer, drama scholar, and leading member of the Communist Party of Great Britain
Communist Party of Great Britain
The Communist Party of Great Britain was the largest communist party in Great Britain, although it never became a mass party like those in France and Italy. It existed from 1920 to 1991.-Formation:...
(CPGB).
She joined the CPGB in 1934, because of its active opposition to the British Union of Fascists
British Union of Fascists
The British Union was a political party in the United Kingdom formed in 1932 by Sir Oswald Mosley as the British Union of Fascists, in 1936 it changed its name to the British Union of Fascists and National Socialists and then in 1937 to simply the British Union...
. She was the lover of John Cornford
John Cornford
Rupert John Cornford was an English poet and communist. He was the son of F. M. Cornford and Frances Cornford.- Biography :...
, while a student at the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
. The historian Eric Hobsbawm
Eric Hobsbawm
Eric John Ernest Hobsbawm , CH, FBA, is a British Marxist historian, public intellectual, and author...
, there also at the time, wrote 'she probably had more influence on me than any other person I have known.'
She was educated at Roedean School
Roedean School
-Roedeanians in fiction:* Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward * Dawn Drummond-Clayton * Emily James...
and at King Alfred School
King Alfred School
The King Alfred School was founded in London, England, in 1898.The school was radical for its time in that it provided a secular education and that boys and girls were educated together.-Aim:...
in London, and read English at Newnham College, Cambridge
Newnham College, Cambridge
Newnham College is a women-only constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1871 by Henry Sidgwick, and was the second Cambridge college to admit women after Girton College...
from 1931 gaining a BA with first class honours. After Cambridge she taught 14-year-old girls at Cadbury's Continuation School in Bourneville
Bourneville
Bourneville is a commune in the Eure department in Haute-Normandie in northern France.-Population:-References:*...
on day release from the chocolate factory. In the CPGB she worked in the Labour Research Department
Labour Research Department
The Labour Research Department is an independent trade union based research organisation, based in London, that provides information to support trade union activity and campaigns. LRD's publications Labour Research, Bargaining Report, Fact Service and LRD Booklets, along with an Enquiry Service...
from 1937.
She stood as the communist candidate for Vauxhall
Vauxhall (UK Parliament constituency)
-Elections in the 1980s:-Elections in the 1970s:-Elections in the 1960s:-Notes and references:...
Constituency in the 1950 General Election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
.
In 1959 she resumed teaching at Camden School for Girls
Camden School for Girls
The Camden School for Girls is a comprehensive secondary school for girls, with a co-educational sixth form, in the London Borough of Camden in North London. It has about one thousand students of ages eleven to eighteen, and specialist-school status as a Music College...
and then Goldsmith's College from 1965-77. In 1976 she was made a Fellow
Fellow
A fellow in the broadest sense is someone who is an equal or a comrade. The term fellow is also used to describe a person, particularly by those in the upper social classes. It is most often used in an academic context: a fellow is often part of an elite group of learned people who are awarded...
of New Hall, Cambridge
New Hall, Cambridge
Murray Edwards College is a women-only constituent college of the University of Cambridge. It was founded as "New Hall" in 1954, at a time when Cambridge had the lowest proportion of women undergraduates of any university in the United Kingdom, and when only two other colleges admitted women...
. She was still teaching at New Hall up to 1989 and stayed with the CPGB until it was dissolved.
Works
- Britain's coal: A Study of the Mining Crisis, Left Book ClubLeft Book ClubThe Left Book Club, founded in 1936, was a key left-wing institution of the late 1930s and 1940s in the United Kingdom set up by Stafford Cripps, Victor Gollancz and John Strachey to revitalise and educate the British Left. The Club's aim was to "help in the struggle For world peace and against...
, 1944 - Wages Front, 1947, Labour Research Department
- Coal must come first, 1948, prepared for the Labour Research Department
- The Tories and how to beat them, Communist Party, 1951
- The Adventurers, 1960 (novel)
- Britain in the Nineteen Thirties, 1971 (with Noreen BransonNoreen BransonNoreen Branson was a communist activist, and historian of the Communist Party of Great Britain. She worked for the Labour Research Department from 1938, until her death, editing its magazine for 28 years....
) - Experiments in English Teaching - New Work in Higher and Further Education 1976 (editor with David CraigDavid CraigDavid Craig may refer to:*David Craig , Northern Irish footballer who played for Newcastle United*David Craig *David Craig, Baron Craig of Radley, retired British Chief of the Defence Staff and Marshal of the RAF...
) - Culture and Crisis in Britain in the 30s, 1979 (with Jon Clark, David Margolies and Carole Snee)
- Puritanism and Theatre: Thomas Middleton and Opposition Drama under the Early Stuarts, 1980
- History and the Imagination - Selected Writings of AL Morton, 1990 (editor)