Author Sue Dockett on booklet 'Out of the Wilderness

Sue was the keynote speaker at the Guildhall in Chard, Somerset, on Thursday January 25, the climax of a week of events marking the centenary of Margaret Bondfield's joining Ramsay Macdonald's 1924 Labour administration.

Margaret was a trailblazer who became the first woman to chair the TUC, the first woman cabinet minister and the first woman privy counsellor but her name goes largely unmarked in political history.

Sue has written a booklet called 'Out of the Wilderness: Reviving the reputation of a forgotten founder of the Labour Party'.

In Chard, she met local groups and visit three schools to talk about Margaret's life and there'll be local radio and newspaper interviews.

Sue said: “Margaret was born in Chard and the town museum's records were useful in my research so I sent them some copies of the booklet.

“They asked if I'd give a talk and that grew into a mini-festival celebration of her life and times.

“She rose from humble circumstances to become a leading trade unionist and a prominent women's rights activist.

“She travelled the world and met many famous people and she was one of the founders of the Women's Labour League.”

Sue is determined to play a part in the movement to revive Margaret's reputation.

She was mentioned in a speech at last year's Labour Party Conference and there's a Labour Women's Network campaign to have an official portrait commissioned for the House of Commons.

Find out more and sign the petition here. 

Sue, who is a member of Wisbech, March and District Trades Council, has written several other booklets about influential women and she's currently working on a life of feminist and political activist Claudia Jones.

Fenland's third International Women's Day Festival will be held on Saturday, March 16, at St Peter's Church Hall, Wisbech.

Sue will be there and all her booklets will be available to visitors.

Contact Sue: wmdtc@gmail.com or 07546680224