# Penelope Jessel

Dame Penelope Jessel DBE (née Blackwell; 2 January 1920 – 2 December 1996) was a British Liberal Party politician.

## Background

She was born Penelope Blackwell, a daughter of publisher Sir Basil Blackwell and Marion Christine Soans. She was educated at Dragon School, Oxford, St Leonards School, St Andrews, Fife, Somerville College, Oxford where she received a Master of Arts and the London School of Economics. In 1940 she married journalist Robert George Jessel. They had two sons, journalists David Jessel and Stephen Jessel. Her husband died in 1954. She was made a Dame for political services as part of the 1987 New Year Honours.

## Professional career

From 1940 to 1941 Jessel worked at Oxford House, London. She enlisted into the Auxiliary Territorial Service, serving from 1941 to 1943. She was a teacher at William Temple College from 1956 to 1962. In 1965 she had published Owen of Uppingham. She worked as a lecturer at Plater College, in Oxford from 1968 to 1984.

## Political career

Jessel was Liberal candidate for the Hall Green division of Birmingham at the 1964 General Election. She also fought the 1965 Birmingham Hall Green by-election. She was Liberal candidate for the Banbury division of Oxfordshire at the 1966 General Election. She was Liberal candidate for the Petersfield division of Hampshire at the 1970 General Election. She was Liberal candidate for the Wellingborough division of Northamptonshire at both 1974 General Elections. She did not stand for parliament again. She was President of the Women's Liberal Federation from 1970 to 1972. She was President of the Oxford Civic Society. She was Convenor of Trustees, for the John Stuart Mill Institute. She worked as International Officer, for the Liberal Party from 1985 to 1988.

### Electoral record

General Election 1964: Birmingham, Hall Green :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Aubrey Jones | 23,879 | 52.5 |
| | Labour | GS Rea | 14,477 | 31.8 |
| | Liberal | Penelope Jessel | 7,113 | 15.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9,402 | 20.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 75.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
1965 Birmingham Hall Green by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Reginald Eyre | 17,130 | 54.8 | +2.3 |
| | Labour | David Mumford | 8,980 | 28.8 | −3.0 |
| | Liberal | Penelope Jessel | 5,122 | 16.4 | +0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,150 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
General Election 1966: Banbury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Harry Neil Marten | 28,932 | 47.53 |
| | Labour | David Wright Young | 24,529 | 40.30 |
| | Liberal | Penelope Jessel | 7,407 | 12.17 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,403 | 7.23 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 81.95 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
General Election 1970: Petersfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Joan Mary Quennell | 30,414 | 60.50 |
| | Labour | Kelvin Horrocks | 10,307 | 20.50 |
| | Liberal | Penelope Jessel | 7,783 | 15.48 |
| | Independent | Michael Digby | 1,766 | 3.51 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 20,107 | 40.00 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 72.12 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
General Election Feb 1974: Wellingborough :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Sir Peter Fry | 29,099 | 40.5 | −11.7 |
| | Labour | J.H. Mann | 26,829 | 37.3 | −10.5 |
| | Liberal | Penelope Jessel | 15,049 | 20.9 | +20.9 |
| | Ind. Conservative | D.T. James | 897 | 1.2 | +1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,720 | 3.1 | −1.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 84,562 | 85.00 | +19570 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -16.3 (to Lib) | |
General Election Oct 1974: Wellingborough :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Sir Peter Fry | 29,078 | 42.8 | +2.3 |
| | Labour | J H Mann | 27,320 | 40.2 | +2.9 |
| | Liberal | Penelope Jessel | 11,500 | 17.0 | −3.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,758 | 2.6 | −0.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 85,288 | 79.61 | +726 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +3.1 (from Lib) | |