Jennie Adamson

Janet Laurel Adamson
Member of Parliament forBexley
In office 5 July 1945 – 21 July 1946
Preceded by	Constituency established
Succeeded by	Ashley Bramall
Member of Parliament forDartford
In office 7 November 1938 – 15 June 1945
Preceded by	Frank Edward Clarke
Succeeded by	Norman Dodds
Chair of theNational Executive Committee of the Labour Party
In office 1935–1936
Preceded by	William Albert Robinson
Succeeded by	Hugh Dalton
Member of London County Council forLambeth North
In office 8 March 1928 – 5 March 1931
Preceded by	Richard Charles Powell
Succeeded by	Ida Samuel
Personal details
Born	Janet Laurel Johnston (1882-05-09)9 May 1882 Kilmarnock,Scotland
Died	25 April 1962(1962-04-25)(aged 79)
Nationality	British
Political party	Labour
Spouse	William Murdoch Adamson(died 1945)

Janet Laurel Adamson(néeJohnston;9 May 1882 – 25 April 1962) was a BritishLabour Partypolitician who served as aMember of Parliament(MP) from 1938 to 1946, and as a junior minister inClement Attlee's post-warLabour government.

Early life and family

Janet Laurel Johnston was born on 9 May 1882, the daughter of Thomas Johnston of Kirkcudbright. She married, in 1902, toWilliam Murdoch Adamson,aTransport and General Workers' Unionofficial who became Labour MP forCannock.

Political career

From 1928 to 1931, Adamson was a member ofLondon County CouncilforLambeth North.She served on theNational Executive Committeeof the Labour Party from 1927 to 1947, which she chaired from 1935 to 1936.

Adamson unsuccessfully contestedDartfordat the1935 general election,when the sittingConservativeMPFrank Clarkeheld the seat with a significantly reduced majority. However, Clarke died in July 1938, and at the resultingby-election in November 1938,Adamson won the seat on aswingof 4.2%.With her husband, they became the only husband and wife in theHouse of Commons.

The constituency was divided in boundary changes for the1945 general election,when Adamson was elected with a large majority (27% of the votes) for the newBexley constituency.She served as aParliamentary Private Secretaryfrom 1940 to 1945 andParliamentary Secretaryto theMinistry of Pensionsfrom 1945 to 1946,under ministerWilfred Paling.

Adamsonresigned from Parliamentin 1946, becoming Deputy Chair of theUnemployment Assistance Boardfrom 1946 to 1953.Her resignation precipitated aby-election in July 1946which was narrowly won by the Labour candidateAshley Bramall.At thenext general election, in 1950,the seat was won by future Prime MinisterEdward Heath.

Adamson died on 25 April 1962.

References

Bibliography

• Stenton, M., Lees, S. (1981).Who's Who of British Members of Parliament,volume iv (covering 1945-1979). Sussex: The Harvester Press; New Jersey: Humanities Press.ISBN0-391-01087-5

External links

• Hansard1803–2005:contributions in Parliament by Janet Adamson