My friend Ann Groves, who has died aged 84, gave a lifetime of service to the community in Harrow, north-west London, where she was born.
Thwarted in her early ambitions, like many women of her generation, she used her talents as a shop steward, a magistrate, a councillor and chair of numerous organisations. She was a feminist and a fighter against oppression and discrimination.
Ann was the daughter of Edmund Gimblett, a grocer, and his wife, Lily (nee Lawley). Educated at Pinner grammar school, Ann had a great passion for books and the theatre. She won a place at Rada at 16, but her father would not allow her to go. Refusing to be daunted, she took up amateur dramatics instead. Her first job was with WH Smith, delivering books, sometimes to famous people such as the comedian Frankie Howerd.
She had a daughter, Helen, during her brief marriage to James Groves. To support her child, Ann had to go out to work full-time and began in the offices of the Kodak factory in Wealdstone in 1961. She soon became a shop steward with the Transport and General Workers’ Union and joined the Labour party. With the arrival of computers, she seized the opportunity to become a programmer. She worked at Kodak for 30 years. For 25 years she was also a magistrate.
Ann had a great belief in the power of education to fulfil young people’s potential and transform lives. She was a governor of Marlborough primary school in Harrow for 45 years and fought and won a fierce campaign against its closure in the early 1980s.
She was elected to Harrow borough council in 1990 and devoted her energies to the cause of education. In 1999 she became mayor and served during the millennium year. In 2005 she received the National Merit award for excellent service to the Labour party, from Tony Blair, the then prime minister.
After 16 years as a councillor she stood down and turned her attentions to the many local organisations with which she had developed connections. Age Concern, Harrow Alzheimer’s Society, Harrow Association of Disabled People and Harrow Women’s Centre were some of the bodies she chaired.
Her skill at running meetings was formidable, but she was never just a holder of offices – she got things done.
She is survived by Helen, and her grandchildren, Dylan and Matilda.
