Leah L'Estrange Malone

Leah L'Estrange Malone (1886 – 4 September 1951) was a British politician.

Biography

Born in London as Leah Klingenstein, her family changed their surname to "Kay" while she was still a child. She completed a degree in modern history in 1904 at Somerville College, Oxford,[1] before becoming an inspector with the Ministry of Health, then in 1917 became the secretary to Henry Cavendish-Bentinck, a Member of Parliament. While working for Cavendish-Bentinck, she met Cecil Malone, a Communist Party of Great Britain MP, and the two married in 1921.[2]

The L'Estrange Malones soon left the Communist Party and joined the Labour Party. In 1923, Leah became the first female chair of Poale Zion in the UK.[3] She worked with Dora Russell to successfully persuade the party to adopt a policy of making access to birth control easier. In 1934, she was elected to London County Council, representing West Fulham, and in 1937 she was made an alderman. During her time on the council, she served on various committees, including a period chairing the Public Assistance Committee.[2]

L'Estrange Malone died in 1951, while on holiday in Italy,[2] where she is buried. A photograph of her grave can be found at https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/138301112/leah-l'estrange-malone

References
  1. Batson, Judy G (2008). Her Oxford. Vanderbilt University Press, p.190. ISBN 9780826516107.
  2. Law, Cheryl. Women: A Modern Political Dictionary, p.94. I.B. Tauris, 2000.
  3. Rose, Ella (21 November 2018). "Actually dealing with Labour antisemitism would endanger Jeremy Corbyn's lifelong dream". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
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