Exhibition: The Jennie Lee Archive Collection

In 1940 Lord Beaverbrook offered Jennie a role in his area of Air Production. Jennie’s job was to make sure that aircraft factories worked through the air-raids to ensure production was not interrupted unless it had to be, and to report back on any delays in production.

In a letter dated October 1940, Jennie reported to Lord Beaverbrook that there were problems with central planning and co-ordination affecting barrage balloon production in factories such as that of the Leyland and Birmingham Rubber Company, which she had recently visited.

Lord Beaverbrook offered Jennie a more responsible role within his department – focusing on barrage balloon production. You can read her letter of acceptance on this page.

At the same time, Jennie received a job offer from The Daily Mirror, to be their House of Commons representative. You can read the letter here. She accepted this 6-month contract, but it was short-lived. Just a few months later the Daily Mirror ended her contract due to suppression of the press and Jennie was once more left without a job.

In 1941 - on the suggestion of the Minister of Information, Brendan Bracken - Jennie visited the USA again, travelling from East Coast to West Coast meeting trade union leaders, journalists and party officials in order to win sympathy for the war effort back home. While she was visiting San Francisco on 6 December 1941 the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbour - bringing America into the War.