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Marjorie Vinson

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Marjorie Vinson
Member of the Legislative Council
In office
1964–1968
Preceded byGeorge Bonner
Succeeded byRobin Pitaluga
ConstituencyEast Falkland
Personal details
Born21 May 1905
Liverpool, United Kingdom
Died30 November 2000(2000-11-30) (aged 95)
Datchet, United Kingdom

Marjorie Vinson MBE (21 May 1905 – 30 November 2000) was a British-born teacher. After moving to the Falkland Islands she became the first woman to be elected to the islands' Legislative Council in 1964.

Biography

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Vinson was born in Liverpool in May 1905, the oldest of five children of Florence (née Greaves) and Ernest Downs, a ship captain.[1] With her father often at sea, she raised her younger siblings during her teenage years.[1] After training as a primary school teacher, she worked at several schools in Liverpool.[1]

Following World War II Vinson moved to Stanley in the Falkland Islands to start a three-year contract as deputy head of the town's primary school.[1] While in the Falklands, she met Dick Vinson.[1] The couple married and she moved to North Arm, where they had two children and Vinson often taught children in the area when the visiting teacher was absent.[1] The family moved to Darwin in 1964. In the same year she contested the elections to the Legislative Council. Winning the East Falkland by three votes,[2] she became the first woman elected to the Legislative Council. During her term in the council she focused on education in Camp.[1]

After leaving the Legislative Council, Vinson was awarded an MBE in the 1969 New Year Honours.[3] When Dick retired in 1971, the couple moved to Datchet in England. She died in November 2000.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Vinson, Marjorie (née Downs) Dictionary of Falklands Biography
  2. ^ FI Gazette 2311
  3. ^ M.B.E. The London Gazette, 1 January 1969