Marjorie Vinson Explained

Office1:Member of the Legislative Council
Term1:1964–1968
Constituency1:East Falkland
Predecessor1:George Bonner
Successor1:Robin Pitaluga
Birth Date:21 May 1905
Birth Place:Liverpool, United Kingdom
Death Place:Datchet, United Kingdom

Marjorie Vinson (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

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]

Notes and References

  1. https://www.falklandsbiographies.org/biographies/471 Vinson, Marjorie (née Downs)
  2. FI Gazette 2311
  3. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/44740/supplement/22/data.pdf M.B.E.