Jeger , Lena May , 1915-2007 , Baroness , journalist and politician

Lena May Jeger (nee Chivers) was born in Yorkley, Gloucestershire on 19 November 1915, the daughter of Charles Chivers and Eugenie Alice James. She was educated at Southgate County School and Birkbeck College London where she gained a BA. In 1948 Lena Chivers married Dr Santo Jeger, Labour MP for Holborn and St Pancras South. After her husband's death in 1953, Jeger stood for, and won, her late husband's seat which she held between 1953-1959 and again between 1964-1979. As a member of local government she served on St. Pancras Borough Council between 1945-1959 and the London County Council between 1952-1955.
Jeger's career began in the Civil Service where she worked in HM Customs and Excise, the Ministry of Information and the Foreign Office between 1936-1949. In 1947 she worked at the British Embassy in Moscow as assistant editor of the British Ally, a newspaper published by the British Government for distribution in the Soviet Union. As a journalist, she was on the London staff of the Guardian and regularly contributed to other national newspapers. Her political career also included membership of the National Executive Committee of the Labour Party betwwen 1968-1980, serving as Vice-Chairman between 1978-1979 and Chairman between 1979-1980. She was the UK representative on the United Nations Status of Women Commission in 1967; a member of the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe and Western European Union 1969-1971; a member of the Chairman's Panel in the House of Commons between 1971-1979; Opposition spokesman (Lords) on Social Security 1983-1989 and made an honorary fellow of Birkbeck College London in 1994. She retired from politics in 1979 and was created Baroness Jeger of St Pancras in Greater London.