Marian Lyons (1923 – January 2017) was the first woman to lead a county council in the United Kingdom, as leader of Clwyd County Council from 1974 - 1978.[1]
Marian Lyon | |
|---|---|
| Clwyd County Council leader | |
| In office 1974–1978 | |
| Preceded by | Office created |
| County Councillor for Abergele District in Denbighshire (later Clwyd) County Council | |
| Assumed office 1964 | |
| Urban District Councillor for Llanddulas, Abergele Urban District Council | |
| Assumed office 1963 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1923 Elland, West Yorkshire, UK |
| Died | 11 January 2017 (aged 95–96)[2] Bron-y-Graig Llanddulas |
| Political party | Independent |
| Profession | Nursing |
Personal life
editMarian Lyon was the daughter of Wilfrid Spence, an engineer, and Elizabeth (née Scott). She was brought up in Elland and qualified as a nurse during the Second World War. While working as an ophthalmic nurse in Leeds Infirmary she met her future husband Edward Lyons and they married in London in 1945. They had five children.[3][4]
Political career
editThe Lyons moved to Llanddulas, North Wales in 1954, and she was led into local politics to make a difference to the village community.[5] She was elected as a councillor for Llanddulas in the Abergele urban district council[6] in 1963, becoming the chair in 1965. She was also a Denbighshire county councillor for the Abergele district from 1964.[3] She was elected as the leader of the new Clwyd county council in 1974, when this was formed by a local government reorganisation merging Denbighshire and Flintshire. At this time 17% of local councillors were women[7]
In the 1970s she a member of the Court of the University of Wales representing Clwyd County Council and a member of the Welsh Council in the late 1970s.
Other public roles
editShe was a committee member of the Abergele Ratepayers Association, a member of a joint committee for translation of the bible into Welsh and a governor of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. In later life Lyon was president of the Flintshire branch of the Royal College of Nursing and commandant of the Abergele group of the British Red Cross.[3]
She also founded the Abergele branch of the University of the 3rd Age.[8]
She was invited to the Investiture of Prince Charles in 1969 and in 1977 Lyon received the Queen's Silver Jubilee medal.[5]
References
edit- ^ "Papers of Marian Lyons (First Council Leader of Clwyd County Council)". Denbighshire Archives. Sir Ddinbych Cyngor/Denbighshire County Council. Retrieved 1 September 2017.
- ^ "Lyons Marian: Obituary". Daily Post. BMDs Online. 18 January 2017.
- ^ a b c Lyons, Stephen (7 February 2017). "Marian Lyons obituary". The Guardian. Guardian News and Media Ltd. Retrieved 25 February 2017.
- ^ Jordan, Suzanne (January 24, 2017). "Tributes paid to nurse who was first Clwyd Council leader and founded Abergele U3A". North Wales Pioneer. Retrieved 6 October 2017.
- ^ a b Brennan, Shane (20 Jan 2017). "Conwy's own Iron Lady Marian Lyons dies". Daily Post. Trinity Mirror Merseyside. Retrieved 25 February 2017.
- ^ "Abergele Town Council Agenda, 2 February 2017" (PDF). Abergele Town Council. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
- ^ Farrell, Catherine; Titcombe, Sarah (2016). "Gender and the experiences of local elected members – a focus on Wales". Local Government Studies. 42 (6): 867–884. doi:10.1080/03003930.2016.1207629.
- ^ Jordan, Suzanne (24 January 2017). "Tributes paid to nurse who was first Clwyd Council leader and founded Abergele U3A". Rhyl, Prestatyn and Abergele Journal. Retrieved 25 February 2017.