Available onlineEarly life - family and education
(page 3 of 6)| Audio: | Socialist roots |
|---|---|
| Duration: | 00:00:47 |
| Date: | 1982 |
| Image : | Jennie Lee's father's family c.1890 |
| Date: | 1890 |
| Image : | Jennie Lee's Socialist Sunday School hymn book |
| Date: | 1917 |
Jennie Lee was born into a world of trade unionism and socialism and was descended from generations of pit workers on her paternal side, and shopkeepers and tradesmen on her maternal side.
Her Grandfather, Michael Lee (shown on the far right of the Lee family photo on this page), lived next-door to the family during Jennie’s early childhood. Michael Lee founded the Lochgelly Miner’s Union and the Fifeshire Federation of the ILP (Independent Labour Party). In his obituary in the Lochgelly Times in 1932, Michael Lee was described as “one of the pioneers of the Socialist movement in Lochgelly”.
Jennie’s father, James Lee (shown in the centre of the Lee family photo), followed in his father’s footsteps, going down the pits at the age of 12. He chaired the Lochgelly ILP after his father. The Lee household often hosted visiting ILP lecturers and was the location of debates and discussions around labour and mining issues. From an early age Jennie would join her father and guests in their discussions at the tea-table.
The Lees were involved in local socialist initiatives such as the soup kitchens for the poor, and Jennie attended the socialist Sunday school. Within the archive collection are two well used socialist hymn books which belonged to the Lee family, one of which is shown on this page.
Growing up in this socialist environment clearly had a strong influence on Jennie which she recounts in the audio clip on this page.
