Mary Jeff (1873–1941) was a Scottish activist and politician who was involved in the

Glasgow Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...

rent strike A rent strike, sometimes known as a tenants strike or a renters strike, is a method of protest commonly employed against large landlords. In a rent strike, a group of tenants agree to collectively withhold paying some or all of their rent to the ...

Early life and education

Mary Jeff was born Mary Russell Watson in

Coatbridge Coatbridge (, ) is a town in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, about east of Glasgow city centre, set in the central Lowlands. Along with neighbouring town Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, Airdrie, Coatbridge forms the area known as the Monklands (popula ...

, Lanarkshire in 1873. She moved to

Govan Govan ( ; Cumbric: ''Gwovan''; Scots language, Scots: ''Gouan''; Scottish Gaelic: ''Baile a' Ghobhainn'') is a district, parish, and former burgh now part of southwest Glasgow, Scotland. It is situated west of Glasgow city centre, on the sout ...

in 1896, and lived there with her husband, printer Andrew Jeff, and their three sons.

Community Activism and Political career

Mary and her husband were active in their community. They both had a key role in the Govan

, Andrew as chair of the South Govan Tenants Committee, and Mary as part of the group of women who campaigned against eviction, and orchestrated the defence against bailiffs. Other women involved in this activity were

Mary Barbour Mary Barbour ( Rough; 20 February 1875 – 2 April 1958) was a Scotland, Scottish Activism, political activist, local councillor, bailie and magistrate. Barbour was closely associated with the Red Clydeside movement in the early 20th century ...

, Agnes Dollan, Mary Laird and Helen Crawfurd. She was a member of the

Kinning Park Kinning Park is a southern suburb of Glasgow, Scotland. It was formerly a separate police burgh between 1871 and 1905 before being absorbed by the city. In 1897, it had a population of 14,326.Govan Parish School Board, ''The Members' Year Book ...

Co-operative A cooperative (also known as co-operative, coöperative, co-op, or coop) is "an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democr ...

Women's Guild and the chairwoman of the Ladies section of the Govan War Memorial Committee. Two of her three sons had served in

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, one of whom died. She was elected to Govan parish council in 1919, and served until at least 1926, on both the Children's Committee and the Relief Committee. In later years, she moved to

Milngavie Milngavie ( ; ) is a town in East Dunbartonshire, Scotland and a suburb of Glasgow. It is on the Allander Water, at the northwestern edge of Greater Glasgow, and about from Glasgow city centre. It neighbours Bearsden. Milngavie is a commuter t ...

, where she was a member of Milngavie Bowling Club and an active member of the Deacon's court of St Luke's Church of Scotland. She died in 1941 in Milngavie, and was buried in Old Monkland Cemetery.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jeff, Mary 1873 births 1941 deaths Politicians from North Lanarkshire Women councillors in Glasgow Scottish Labour councillors People from Coatbridge People from Milngavie Govan Co-operative Women's Guild